My Week with Eponine
by bowtiesarecool333
Summary: How strange, this feeling that my life's begun at last. This change, can people really fall in love so fast? In which Enjolras spends a week with Eponine in the slums of Paris to understand truly the struggles of life, but on his journey, both Enjolras and Eponine begin to realize something they never had to opportunity to discover before.
1. One Glance

**A/N: Sadly, I deleted my last story… *Sniffle.* It wasn't doing very well or going anywhere and I couldn't figure out how to end it or anything. But then a wonderful idea for a new story knocked me over the head with a baseball bat, and so I decided to write it! Disclaimer: I'll own Les Mis when my Hogwarts letter comes. So, never. Also, this story is definitely AU. And if you had happened to read my old story, I think Clara might make a brief appearance in later chapters! *Also I really appreciated the constructive criticism and hopefully this is easier to read with the paragraphs! I really do like constructive criticism and I take it all to heart.**

The day was long over and the lone source of light was coming from the shaky candles that scattered the tables. Some would argue that the light was coming from Enjolras and his fierce passion. He excitedly stood up on the middle of a cluttered table and preached words inspiring a new day, a new life, a new beginning. He made promises that the poor would never be hungry and would have a chance to have their voices heard. People watched him with respect and interest, absorbing everything that he had to say. Except one of his friends, Grantaire, who was currently drowning himself in whiskey. There was the occasional cheer and sound of encouragement, but other than that the only noise coming from the normally loud café came from the golden words of promise that Enjolras projected. However, his words started to waver when he noticed Marius slowly edging out of the dim lit room.

"Where are you off to now, Marius?" Enjolras asked shaking his head. All eyes snapped backwards at Marius who was blushing slightly. "Nothing that concerns your revolution, Enjolras. It's my business and mine alone," Marius said curtly before attempting to leave.

"Is it this girl again? The one who has 'burst like the music of angels, the light of the sun?'" Grantaire snickered into his bottle, rolling his eyes in amusement at himself. Marius hung his head and muttered, "Yes." Enjolras slammed his fist down.

"Marius, if you want to be committed to the cause, you have to be here for us. Can't you visit your lover at a later time?" Enjolras pleaded. Marius looked sadly up at Enjolras.

"I pity you, my friend, for you will never know how blissful and rapturous being in love feels. It's a sensation I can't explain, but seeing Cosette means so much to me," Marius said slowly and fervently. Enjolras threw his back and ran his hands through his mussed up blonde curls. "You're wrong. I am in love. With Patria. Now, if you don't care about the plight Paris is currently in, by all means, be on your way," Enjolras replied hotly.

Marius grudgingly retraced his steps and found his chair once more. "I don't know why I even bother," he muttered to himself as he shot a glare at his fearless and _heartless _leader. Shaking off his disappointment with Marius, Enjolras wrapped up his lengthy speech to be greeted with erupting plaudits from Les Amis. Content with himself, Enjolras retired to a table with Grantaire and Marius.

"I'm sorry, my friend. I didn't mean to offend you or anything of that nature, it's just that my Cosette is very important to me and I would like to spend as much time as possible with her before we all die at the barricades," Marius said someone bitterly and somewhat softly. Enjolras just shook his head in response.

"How could I have forgotten? You have never felt pure love before for a living and caring creature before! Never felt the soft touch of a woman, your ears never graced with a lover's laughter, never felt the warm and passionate kisses that another bestows upon you," Marius said sinisterly. "Marius, stop being so dramatic. We have a very good chance that we can survive the barricades, unless you begin to think such thoughts! And my personal life is not important, love is merely an accessory in life," Enjolras grumbled. Marius felt bad for his friend who would never know love.

"You seem to love Patria a lot," Grantaire chuckled over his nearly empty bottle earning a harsh glare from Enjolras. "Grantaire if you know what is best for you, you would just remain quiet," Enjolras snapped. Grantaire just laughed even harder snorting out liquid onto the table which disgusted Enjolras and Marius.

"You act so high and mighty, Enjo, but just remember that we share a flat; you will never be able to escape me and I can be much worse," Grantaire said finding himself so hysterical. "Sometimes I can't believe I ever agreed to be your flat mate," Enjolras said grumpily. Suddenly, something behind Enjolras' shoulder caught Marius' attention, and he abandoned the table before Enjolras had enough time to blink. "What's gotten into him?" Grantaire asked curiously widening his eyes. "Maybe that girl he's talking to is Cosette. She doesn't exactly look like what Marius had described, but she's still pretty enough," he added before beginning a new bottle.

Enjolras groaned worried that Cosette had actually showed up; Marius wouldn't be quiet for the rest of the evening about his renowned love for the girl. However, as Enjolras observed the girl Marius was excitedly talking to, he knew it wasn't Cosette, but someone else entirely. Enjolras was instantly fascinated by her, and he couldn't bring himself to look away.

"That's not Cosette, Grantaire. Marius said Cosette was a bourgeoisie with blonde ringlets and a dainty, pale body. That's a gamine over there, a street rat," Enjolras said, but the tone he used when he said 'gamine' and 'street rat' was not insulting, merely candid. "Whatever, doesn't concern me," Grantaire said trying to fall asleep on the table. Enjolras could still not look away. The girl looked only a couple years younger than him, but she acted much older. Her eyes surveyed the world with eyes that had seen terrible things that were enough to make a grown man curl up in a ball and sob. Her brown hair was matted and tangled, but Enjolras saw beauty in it anyways. He knew it would look much better if it had a proper washing and brushing. Her arms and face were smeared with the dirt and grime of the city, and she had dark circles under her deep brown eyes as though she hadn't a proper rest for quite some time. Despite all of this, Enjolras could see a blinding smile that was painted delicately across his tired face that could light up the city of Paris at night.

"What are you drooling over now? Are you being disloyal to Patria with another country? Perhaps Ireland? England?" Grantaire sniggered. Enjolras finally turned around and shot Grantaire another well-earned glare. "Go back to your brandy and keep your nose where it belongs," Enjolras retorted. Enjolras kept thinking of that one girl, and started to feel something in the pit of his stomach. Or was it in his heart? _Stop thinking of her, the only reason why she intrigued you so was because she is exactly the filth of Paris that you are trying to defend. You don't really care about her, _Enjolras assured himself. However, in his mind he was slowly beginning to understand why Marius wanted to spend so much time with Cosette.

**A/N: Yay the first chapter is done! Let me tell you guys, I love to write so I will update frequently. Except maybe this week… I do have a lot of studying to do and blah blah blah. Reviews are much appreciated, and they inspire me to write faster (they really do, I pinky promise). I won't abandon this story, I have it all planned out and it should be pretty good. All the good stuff is going to start happening in the next chapter though, so be excited! Woo! *I hope this is easier to read now! Thanks again for reviewing!**


	2. Empty Words and Empty Promises

**A/N: I'm baaaack with another chapter. Be sure to check out fishfingerandcustard333's new story called ****How Light and Beauty Broke the Unmoving Stone. It only has a couple chapters so far, but it really has potential and I'm sure it's going to be AHmazing! Also, I still don't own Les Mis and the world is still round.**

Eponine couldn't figure out why Marius was so into this revolution that was destined to fail before it even started, and she definitely couldn't fathom why Enjolras was such a big role model to him. To Eponine, Enjolras was a naïve man who was as mature as a boy. It's not that she didn't like the leader of the revolution; she just couldn't quite understand him.

Eponine thought about this as the sound of Enjolras' voice washed over her just as the sunshine did during the somewhat warm month of March (though his voice and the sun didn't have the same effect on Eponine, at least the sunshine was pleasant).

She heard Enjolras declaring loudly how he 'understood' what the homeless were going through, and he would do everything in his power to spark a revolution and change our fates. However, Eponine only heard empty words and empty promises as she tried to find Marius. She spotted his light brown hair and freckles and began to make her way towards him.

"I still don't know why you think a revolution is going to change anything," Eponine whispered as she tapped Marius on the shoulder. Marius squinted at her and shrugged.

"It's always good to try, Eponine, you know that," Marius said as he made a space for Eponine to stand. Eponine chewed on her tongue as she surveyed Marius.

Eponine wanted so desperately to tell him what she thought, but kept her tongue. Marius probably didn't want to hear Eponine's insight. Eponine was very supportive of the revolution in spite of all her critiques towards the schoolboys, _she _was experienced and knew what she was fighting for and was willing to lay down her life to fight for her right to be finally free. She fought not only for herself, but for her friends and family who didn't have shelter, food, and love in their lives. These men did not know how it felt to be starving to death with no promise of food in the near future, how it felt to be beaten so badly all you want is to die but your forced to put on a brave face and carry on.

"Enjolras is truly an inspiring man. I know you're indifferent towards him, but I feel if you got the chance to be in his acquaintance, you would learn to respect his as much as I," Marius said after Eponine had been silent for a while.

Eponine wanted to reply saying she wasn't so sure about that, but instead she said, "I'll give him my time." She intended on being true to her word, after all Marius _did _seem to be fond of this man. After all, Eponine had never given Enjolras the chance that she had given Marius. Marius wasn't really special; he also didn't know a thing about the life of the poor, not really. Eponine merely admired him for running away from his grandfather, an act Eponine had wanted to do for years.

As Enjolras spoke, Eponine couldn't help but feel as though she were being put under a trance; his words were smooth and soft like a warm blanket that wrapped around Eponine. Eponine even found herself getting disappointed when Enjolras hopped off the stage and his words ended.

"Even you, 'Ponine, have to admit that was… that was amazing," Marius breathed facing his friend. Eponine did have to admit his words had an effect, but she couldn't help but feel the words were empty.

"You're right, Marius. His words are so eloquent…" Eponine found herself saying and was slightly shocked she had admitted that.

"Glad to hear you thought that, because Enjolras approaches now," Marius said waving at one of his best friends. Enjolras returned the wave as he walked over to where Marius and Eponine were standing.

"That was one of your best speeches, my friend," Marius said clapping him on the back. Enjolras nodded gravely at him.

"I give you my thanks, I can just feel like the revolution is about to start, like a kindling flame before it bursts into the open," he said staring straight at Eponine. "Who is this, may I ask?" he added bowing his head at the gamine.

"This is Eponine, she's one of my dear friends," Marius said introducing her.

"Enchanté, mademoiselle," Enjolras said kissing her hand. Eponine felt ridiculous that he called her 'mademoiselle' and even more ridiculous when he kissed her hand.

"Just Eponine," she said trying to jerk her hand away. Enjolras nodded and started a conversation with Marius.

"I would love to talk more, but I really must be on my way to visit Cosette, I'm afraid I will be late," Marius said rushing off leaving Eponine and Enjolras alone. She may as well get talking to him over with.

"You're speech was very impressive, monsieur, lots of big words," Eponine said blankly. Enjolras let out a chuckle.

"You do not seem impressed. Do give me some insight, and do not hold back," Enjolras said. Eponine stared at his icy gray eyes intensely as she spoke.

"You're speeches are enlightening, but I'm afraid you do not know exactly what you are talking about. Research and observation will only do you little justice, but raw experience is the best way to experience the _true _terribleness of the city; something that merely watching cannot do," Eponine said casually watching as Enjolras watched her closely.

"What are you saying exactly?" Enjolras asked honestly. "All I mean to say is you cannot _understand _what you are talking about, something so big and terrible, without experiencing being poor. You always have a glut of money and a full belly and loving parents to keep you going, but the poor have nothing to go by but the hope that the next day will be better," Eponine said wisely.

"How do you suggest I do that? Experience being poor I mean," Enjolras inquired.

Eponine threw up her hands. "Try spending a few nights in the streets, I don't know!" Eponine surveyed Enjolras and thought that he would never survive a night on his own in the slums. "If you will allow this, you can stay with me for the next week or so and you can see just exactly what I mean. I warn you: this will not be easy." Enjolras offered Eponine a disarming smile.

"I really would appreciate that, this will definitely help me," Enjolras said softly touching her shoulder. At the contact of his flesh on hers, Eponine felt something jolt up her arm and circulate her body. _What are you doing? _she wondered to herself.

"Okay, Monsieur Enjolras. If you're ready, come with me," she said grabbing his arm and yanking him forward out of the crowd. Why did she ever suggest this?

**A/N: I really like to update. A lot. I have a big box of chocolates and I eat one every time I update a chapter, and I really like to eat chocolate… Reviews are appreciated and I will update as soon as possible! You get one million personal points if you review! **


	3. Getting To Know You

**A/N: Writing is one of my favorite things to do, but I'm afraid the rest of the week and this weekend updates will be slow since I'm going out of town. *Clover should own Les Mis.* Where is that disembodied voice saying I should own Les Mis? Because I agree with it, but sadly I do not Les Mis and never will. I do own Clara though, and she gets mentioned once down there somewhere. **

Eponine and Enjolras escaped the crowd, and Eponine was leading Enjolras to the part of the city where she hung out when she was not at the café.

"You were wrong about something you said earlier, Eponine," Enjolras said quietly looking at his feet. Eponine stared at him curiously but urged him to go on. "You told me I was lucky for many reasons, one of them being I had loving parents; I do not. My parents disowned me after I ran away a couple years ago because of my divergent beliefs from them. I dislike the king where they worship him. I care for the poor, they couldn't care less. I started out living on my own, but I could not afford any nice flats since I had been cut off from my parent's funds. When I met Grantaire, he proposed that we share a flat together and we could split the rent, and I agreed. I regret living with him, he annoys me to the ends of this Earth, but I can't afford to leave. Well, I couldn't, not until now. Both of my parents died in a fire and left all their land and money to my sister, Clara. Clara, not wanting to see me with no money, gave up half of her money to me. It is nice to have the money, but I would rather have my parents' love more than anything. It's too late now; they died despising their only son. I suppose Grantaire has sort of become a friend of mine, and now I don't have the heart to leave him."

Eponine felt her heart go out to the poor boy, she could relate to how he felt about his parents. She didn't exactly get along with hers either. In fact, the feeling of the back of her father's hand against her cheek or the feeling of his foot connecting with her stomach were all too familiar. She shuddered as she pictured her father's crazed face as he would beat her and his shouting.

"I'm not going to say I'm sorry, Enjolras. I know you don't want to hear it, and I can imagine that Les Amis have said it to you enough times. I understand though. My parents do not agree with me either, but I can't escape them. If they were to find me again, which I'm sure they would, they would kill me. Or, at least my father would," Eponine said candidly.

Eponine couldn't help but feel a new respect for Enjolras rising in her gut. He wasn't half as bad as she had originally imagined, and she could see the two of them getting along rather well in the future. Also, she pondered her offer with him to stay for a week. She knew she wouldn't have offered it to anyone else. Nobody she knew would be willing to spend a week on the streets with _Eponine _of all people, not even Marius. He would miss his Cosette too much, and the terrors of the street would frighten him. Eponine felt a sudden surge of resentment for Marius.

Enjolras was thinking similar thoughts. He was confused why Eponine had offered for him to stay with her, he knew that she wanted him to get a better understanding of the poor, but he was delightedly surprised when she asked for him to stay with her. He knew though, in his heart, he wouldn't have said yes to anyone other than Eponine.

"Are we getting close to the destination?" Enjolras asked impatiently trying to avoid the stares he was receiving from the surrounding street rats. Eponine squinted her eyes.

"If you are to understand the first thing about me, then you should know that I don't really ever pay attention to the destination, but to the journey I take to reach my destination. I hardly like to say 'destination,' it sounds so permanent. I like to think of the places I stop merely as stopping points and nothing more. There's only one destination in the future, and that's heaven, Enjolras," Eponine said wisely.

Enjolras was slightly taken aback by her answer, but said nothing more as they continued walking. He honestly hadn't been paying much attention to the 'journey,' the only thing he had been watching was the back of Eponine's head for guidance. He peeled his eyes away from her and started to take in his surroundings.

The sky had started to dim, and hints of a sunset were forming on the horizon, and the moon was a phantom in the sky getting ready to trade places with the sun. The beggars and street rats all seemed to have their eyes fixed on Enjolras and his expensive clothes and pleasant features. Enjolras noticed that none of the people in the streets were particularly pretty, not like he though Eponine was at least, but they were all interesting. Each one was different, some had distinctive sores on their faces, some were missing limbs, and some had clothes that were clearly too small and not enough to protect them from the weather.

"Around here is where I normally sleep and hang around," Eponine said abruptly as the reached a cobble stone street that seemed nearly empty compared to the other overcrowded streets they had walked through. "Not many people come over here because of my father and his gang because they tend to occupy this area, but they don't scare me," she added.

Eponine might not be scared of them, but from the brief bits about Monsieur Thenardier and the gang Enjolras had hear, he was apprehensive of them. But somehow, Eponine made him feel stronger, and he loved that. _I wonder if Grantaire will notice my absence, _he wondered.

"Enjolras, do you have any money in your pockets?" Eponine asked him.

Enjolras was slightly taken aback; he did not think that Eponine was one to ask for money.

"Yes, I do have money, do you want-" he was cut off with a swift glare from the girl as she shook her head.

"I don't want your money; I want you to get rid of it. The money is your pocket is your safety, with it you know that you have the opportunity to buy food with it if you get too hungry or clothes with it if you get too cold. It may be warm during the day, but it definitely freezes up at night," Eponine explained.

Enjolras took the francs out of his pocket and jostled them around. "I need to get rid of it?" he asked innocently like a child. Eponine shook her sympathetically.

"If this is too hard for you, _monsieur, _you can go home," she said as though she were daring him to leave. To prove her wrong, Enjolras jogged to the end of the street and distributed the money equally between all the people lying around.

When he returned, he found Eponine staring at him with a look of approval. "Good. Now, nobody within several miles from this place would be able to afford as much as a button from your jacket or vest," Eponine said expectantly. Enjolras twiddled with a loose thread from his jacket.

"Must the both of them go? Can't I keep the vest?" Enjolras asked with pleading eyes. Eponine shook her head firmly.

"It's all part of the experience," she confirmed. Enjolras began to unfasten his jacket and vest, handing them to Eponine.

"You wear them to keep you warm as a sign of my gratitude for being my host," he said shivering as the cool air hit his skin. Eponine smiled happily as she slipped on the warm vest and jacket.

"I haven't owned a pair of shows in years," she added glancing at Enjolras' shoe clad feet. He knew what she was telling him and reluctantly slipped off his shoes and passed them to the girl.

"My clothes are drowning you, but I hope they keep you warm," he said sincerely as Eponine slipped on the second shoe. Indeed, the clothes were too big on her, but she didn't care in the slightest. They were warm, and Eponine was grateful for them.

"Thank you, Enjolras. I do appreciate this. You will know now just how I feel every night," she said as she gave him a once over. He was now only dressed in a white button down shirt with a black cravat and black trousers. She could see him shivering slightly and had to keep herself from smirking.

"It's no chore, Eponine. It is getting late though, and you could say that I'm tired from all our walking. Could we start to settle down for bed?" he asked hopefully. Eponine was tired herself, but that was from the lack of food in her system.

"That sounds nice, how about we stay right there in that doorway," she said as she made her way over to an abandoned café's front door. She plopped down and curled up burrowing deeply into Enjolras' jacket. She noticed the jacket smelled like him, and it soothed her.

Enjolras could feel himself smile as he walked over to the area Eponine had gone to rest, but he put about a ten foot distance between them with his sleeping spot. He couldn't remember being so uncomfortable in his life, but also, being so close to Eponine, he couldn't remember ever feeling so at home.

Eponine was feeling a little guilty for taking Enjolras' clothes and making him get rid of his money, and the qualms worsened when she glanced over her shoulder at Enjolras to see him shaking with cold. Whether he was asleep or not, Eponine couldn't tell.

Groaning, she forced herself to stand up and she laid down directly in front of Enjolras. They were so close that their bodies were touching, and Eponine wrapped her arms around him to shield him from the cold. A pair of strong arms reciprocated the action as Enjolras held on to her. Eponine looked at him to see if he was awake, but his eyes were closed. As Eponine drifted off, she vaguely remembered seeing a smile gracing his lips.

**A/N: Sorry if there are any mistakes in this chapter, I didn't read over it because I wrote this in a rush. I hope you enjoyed! I really appreciate reviews, and I hopefully I will post again by Friday. **


	4. In My Life

**A/N: I kid you not, Grantaire is the most fun person to write. I love writing Grantaire! I don't own him though, or Les Miserables for that matter, just an Eddie Redmayne poster. It lives in my room. It's a nice thing to wake up to. **

Eponine was abruptly woken up by someone nudging her in the ribs, hard. Her eyes shot open and sunlight flooded into them. When she blinked out the light she could see her father towering over her, thankfully his gang was elsewhere because he appeared to be alone.

"I didn't know you were taking customers," M. Thenardier sneered. Eponine saw the compromising position she and Enjolras were in, and she quickly detached herself from the sleeping man. "He's not a customer, papa. He's just a friend I met in the streets and we were cold last night," she lied. Eponine thought it was best to tell a false story about Enjolras, or her father might try to take advantage of his money.

M. Thenardier squinted at Enjolras before he returned his attention back to his daughter. "Did ya get the money I sent ya out for?" he demanded with crossed arms and a glare for added effect. Eponine looked down and twiddled her thumbs, wishing Enjolras had given her the money yesterday instead of to the other people on the street.

"No, papa," she admitted. M. Thenardier placed his head in his hands and sighed.

"You know what this means, 'Ponine," he said menacingly as he shoved her away from Enjolras who didn't even stir. First, he slapped her swiftly across the face, and then he went for her stomach as she fell down. Eponine couldn't even help the scream that erupted from her throat.

Enjolras upon hearing the scream snapped awake and ran to Eponine.

"Get away, you scum!" he shouted pushing away M. Thenardier away, who in response attacked Enjolras due to his angry temperament. Enjolras received a hard blow to his eye, and stumbled backwards and then managed to recover and punch M. Thenardier squarely in the nose.

"Leave him alone, papa!" Eponine cried trying to pin her father's arms down.

"Gerrof me, brat," he spat at his child. Eponine stepped back for a moment and watched as Enjolras punched her father again.

"Alright, alright. I'll be on my way now, but I'm warning you Eponine: next time I ask you for money, I mean I want the money, dammit, and I want it on time," he said as he walked away from the pair.

Eponine looked apologetically at Enjolras trying to cover the bruise that was forming on her face. She could see one forming on Enjolras' eye. Enjolras definitely blended in with the scum of the streets more than he did yesterday, Eponine thought pleased with herself. His feet and shirt were starting to get soiled with grime, and the bruise upon his face helped him look like a street rat. His hair had lost some of its angelic quality.

"Was that your father?" Enjolras asked incredulously massaging his eye. Eponine bit her lip and nodded slowly, she was too tough to cry. Enjolras embraced Eponine carefully as though she may break if he hugged her any tighter.

No words needed to be exchanged; the hug communicated all Enjolras' emotions of empathy and understanding. Eponine was even beginning to tear up when he pulled away. She dabbed at the corner of her eyes so Enjolras wouldn't see.

"So, what are we going to do for breakfast?" Enjolras asked without thinking. He had been smart enough to not ask for dinner the previous night, but he was starving now and was desperate for _anything. _

Eponine look sadly at him. "We're either going to have to steal money for food, or steal the food. If you want, we can get my little brother to help us; he's really good at pickpocketing." Eponine hated stealing but she had to do it in order to survive.

Enjolras did not want to participate in stealing either, but he had never in his life gone a day without a meal. He had only skipped one meal when most of these people had gone days without food, and Enjolras felt a little bad for acting so needy for food.

"We can just go to the café and get some support from one of Les Amis," Enjolras suggested hopeful Eponine would agree. Enjolras deflated when Eponine shook her head.

"Be tough, Enjolras. I'm sure you had breakfast and lunch yesterday; I had no food at all. We can't accept money from them, but pickpocketing them is a whole different story…" Eponine said suggestively. She felt she was being a little harsh on Enjolras for his first day in the streets and wouldn't mind be a little flexible. After all, she had attempted to pickpocket some of Les Amis before with success.

The sun was bright, and it was too hot for Eponine to wear Enjolras' coat so she tied in around her tiny waist. "Let's go towards the café. We won't go in it now, but maybe later in the day," Eponine suggested.

The two started the walk back to the café, and Enjolras starting to feel brave enough to bring up a touchy subject.

"You deserve much better than how your father treats you, you know that? You're so… good, and what I had to witness was terrible. And I have a feeling that wasn't the first time he has hurt you," Enjolras said gently touching Eponine's cheek where a bruise had already formed. Eponine jerked away though, and she felt a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach at his concern.

"Enjolras, I don't want to bore you with my personal stories. I'm not a very interesting person," Eponine mumbled as she tried to hide the blush forming on her neck and cheeks. Enjolras clapped his hands and grabbed her face, forcing her to stare at him.

"On the contrary, Eponine. You're the most interesting person I've ever met!" he exclaimed. Eponine could definitely feel herself blushing now, both from their close proximity and his positive words. She escaped his grasp once more and continued walking.

"Thank you for saying that, but I'm sure you don't mean it," she said quietly as she cast a glance at Enjolras. He looked handsome even when he was covered in dirt from the street with a large black eye.

The two walked together in a compatible silence with an occasional growl from Enjolras' stomach that would cause Eponine to snicker. The sun started to move behind clouds, and Eponine could just feel in the air that it would rain soon. Enjolras will just _love _that.

"I can already smell the alcohol," Enjolras said bitterly thinking of Grantaire when the Café Musain was just visible in the distance.

"I thought I was just smelling Grantaire," Eponine said jokingly earning a small chuckle from Enjolras.

"He really would be an easy target," Enjolras thought aloud and Eponine agreed.

"Do you really spend that much time walking over here each morning?" Enjolras asked in wonder. It had been quite a long walk, and he had never realized how far away Eponine would venture to get here.

Eponine nodded in response and added, "Sometimes I just stay in the café, or I hang around the shops and flats around here. My father likes for me to stay around his area though so he can use me for money."

Enjolras nodded sympathetically. He spotted Grantaire out of the corner of his eye making his way to the café.

"Eponine, there's Grantaire, we can steal off of him," Enjolras suggested. Eponine grinned at the thought of stealing off the drunkard as they crept up slowly behind him.

"What you want to do is accidentally bump into him or brush up against him, and while he's distracted reach into his pocket and snatch the money," Eponine coached pushing Enjolras forward. He nodded in reply, and slowly approached Grantaire. He rammed into his side, and Grantaire nearly fell over.

"I'm so sorry, monsieur," Enjolras said looking down, placing a hand on Grantaire's shoulder to 'balance' himself. Enjolras then swiftly stuck his hand into Grantaire's pocket and fished out his wallet.

"It's alright, no harm done chap," Grantaire said slightly drunk even though it wasn't even noon yet. Enjolras kept his head down and started to turn away.

"WAIT! What the bloody hell Enjolras? Is that really you?" Grantaire shouted sobering up. Enjolras cursed himself and slowly turned to face his friend.

"Yes," he grumbled not allowing himself to look Grantaire in the eyes.

"You disappeared last night and I was worried something bad had happened to you, and now you show up looking like a street rat! What is wrong with you?" Grantaire asked incredulously. Enjolras shrugged.

"It's a project, Grantaire. Go back to your bottle. I'll be popping in and out of the café for the next week, but I won't be returning at night," Enjolras explained curtly. Grantaire threw his hands in the air in response.

"You're being so cryptic! What's your 'project' you speak of?" Grantaire asked with urgency.

"You have never minded what I've done before, don't start now," Enjolras said before running away with the wallet in his hand. Grantaire stared after him with a shocked expression, and only then did he notice a sudden lightness in his pocket.

"Did he bloody steal my wallet?" he said aloud as he frantically searched for his wallet. "ENJOLRAS!" he shouted after his friend's retreating figure.

"Look Eponine! I got his wallet!" Enjolras said happily showing Eponine the brown leather object he held in his hand.

"Good job, but next time don't get caught," she teased. Enjolras looked defensive. "It was only because he recognized me," he said stiffly examining the contents of his wallet. "There are twenty francs in here!" Enjolras exclaimed.

"Good find, that could last us the week. You got lucky," Eponine said wishing that she could have the coins to give to her father. Enjolras, as if he were reading her mind, said, "If we happen to run into your father again, I'll give him the money for you. There are plenty more people we can pickpocket in the future. But for now, we can use some of this to buy breakfast."

Right then Eponine's own stomach grumbled, and the pair of them made their way down to the patisserie to buy breakfast.

**A/N: Sorry if there are any mistakes again, I didn't really edit this. But I have a good idea for the next chapter, it should be kind of funny. Well, funny to me at least. Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews **** they always make my day!**


	5. Close Encounters

**A/N: HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! Look for more updates tonight hopefully! I'm not sure I'll have time to write this weekend, but I'll be back about Monday or Tuesday. Thank you to all the people who reviewed my story, you're totally awesome (Starkid fans you should get that). **

The patisserie was small, but the appealing aroma that circled the shop was irresistible. Eponine and Enjolras hurried inside of it just as it began to rain.

"Mmm," Eponine groaned in delight as she eyed the rows of pastries. "I have only eaten at places like this a couple times. We can eat here since it's your first official day staying with me, but towards the end of the week, we might not be able to eat at all."

Enjolras lowered his eyes and made no comment for he often ate at places like this for breakfast, and the thought of not eating later in the week made him even hungrier. "That is quite alright, I knew living on the streets would be difficult."

The two made their way to the front and Enjolras picked out a plain croissant with tea, and Eponine ordered a raspberry pastry with tea as well. The woman working behind the counter sneered at them the whole time they ordered, but just last week, Enjolras remembered, that same lady had flirted with him.

"Are you sure you can afford that?" she said menacingly. Enjolras wasn't used to be treated so harshly, and he stiffened at the woman's jeers.

"Of course, mademoiselle. You do not give us enough credit," he defended looking miffed. Eponine shook her head, Enjolras did not blend in well. _It's not his fault, he's trying, _Eponine reminded herself.

"Pardon me; I just assumed that this food would cost more than anything you've ever owned," the lady said curtly sticking her chin out. Eponine grabbed Enjolras' hand and squeezed it, silently urging him not to react.

"Don't take it personally, she wouldn't act this way if she knew how rich you really were," Eponine whispered. Enjolras looked at her softly before whispering back, "I know this, but it bothers me that she's treating _you _like this. She's having a go with the way you live your life, and that's not right. It's not your choice that you live like you do."

"You're defending _m_e? I assure you, I'm fine. I'm used to being treated like this, it doesn't bother me. Now keep quiet or you are going to find yourself in trouble quickly," Eponine replied.

Enjolras wanted so badly to tell the lady off, but the rational part of his brain listened to Eponine. He screwed his mouth up in a tight line and said no more. He slammed the money down on the counter and Eponine collected the food as they made their way to sit down at an empty table (**empty chairs at empty tables *sniffle*) **and began to dig into their food.

Enjolras wanted to stuff his face, but refrained from doing so out of habit from eating with etiquette all his life. Eponine, on the other hand, had never known better so she was, in fact, stuffing her face. Watching the thin girl eat as though the pastry was saving her life, Enjolras suddenly began feeling even worse than he had earlier for Eponine. He had always sympathized the poor, but being around Eponine made it all so much more personal. Being around her he couldn't help but feel some strange brewing in his heart and he was to terrified to label it as 'love.'

"This tart is delectable! It's so rich and amazing!" Eponine squealed happily as she took her last bite of pastry. Enjolras smiled at her adorable reaction.

"Grantaire really is an easy target, you should remember that in the future," Enjolras noted with a cheeky grin. He was expecting for Eponine to grin back, or at least agree with him, but instead her eyes widened in horror and she clamped her hand to her mouth.

"Eponine, what is it?" he asked worriedly knitting his brows together trying to see what she was looking at.

"That's inspector Javert! A couple of months ago my father and I attempted to steal from him, and he caught us. My father's friend, Montparnasse, distracted him and we escaped, but we heard him say that if he ever caught us, he'd send us to jail!" Eponine cried desperately trying to think of a disguise. The tables were too thin and small to hide underneath, and she didn't have a hat to place in front of her face or anything. She glanced at Enjolras and suddenly, she formed a plan. It was ridiculous, but it was the only thing she could think of.

"Lean in really close, I can't have him see me," Eponine begged with frantic eyes. Enjolras obliged and drew his head so close that his lips were ghosting Eponine's and their noses were touching. Eponine squeezed her eyes shut and her heart was hammering in her chest (out of fear, _not _at Enjolras' proximity).

Enjolras felt his own heart pick up its pace, and he could feel himself wanting to kiss Eponine, just once. But he refrained from doing so being the gentleman that he was.

"Is he gone?" Eponine looked. They were so close that it tickled Enjolras' lips when she spoke. Enjolras strained his eyes to see if Javert was still standing there.

"Yes, but he only just got here. This could take a while," Enjolras commented. Eponine sighed and opened her eyes.

"We have to get out of here. When his back is turned, we are going to have to sprint out of the patisserie, understand?" Eponine said fiercely.

Enjolras nodded slightly, and his eyes drifted down to Eponine's full lips. She caught him looking, and suddenly her heart sped even faster. _Why is it doing that? _she wondered.

"His back is turned, move now!" she demanded and the two sped out of the café as fast as they could. When they were safely outside, Eponine let out a large sigh as she put her head in her hands.

"Thank you for doing that, I'm sorry if it was uncomfortable," Eponine mumbled casting an apologetic look at Enjolras.

"No problem Eponine, it would have put a damper on our project if you had been arrested," Enjolras said lightly as his heart finally began to slow down.

Enjolras observed Eponine's slouched over figure as she slumped over on a wall and felt as though he were watching someone who had lost all hope. He didn't exactly know how to comfort her, but he decided that a hug would be adequate. As he put his arms around Eponine, she automatically snuggled into him. Both of them noticed that Eponine fit perfectly in Enjolras as if she had been designed to be with him.

**A/N: Aw wasn't that sweet? I'm not exactly sure what I want to do for the next chapter, but if you have any requests of what you **_**really really **_**want to happen I would definitely try to fit it in. This is going well for my first fanfiction that I'm actually going to finish! **


	6. The Cafe

**A/N: I really just want to go see Les Mis in the movie theater again so bad… So I'm back! I was really busy this weekend visiting family and going on roller coasters (woo!) but that time is over and I'm back to writing. **

The rest of the day neither Enjolras nor Eponine mentioned the events that had taken place earlier in the day; it would be too embarrassing to talk about it. After they had separated from their embrace, they had aimlessly wondered around the rest of the day just observing the people and thankfully had managed to stay out of trouble because trouble seemed to always find Eponine.

Eponine decided later in the afternoon that it was a good time to go the café, and Enjolras was grateful. The entire day had been awkward, and Enjolras needed a distraction. He had admitted to himself that he felt something different for Eponine than he had ever felt for anyone else in his life, but he couldn't bring himself to recognize it as anything close to 'love' or 'desire.'

Eponine led him into the café and was greeted with the sight of all Les Amis. Did they spend their time anywhere else?

"Enjolras! You have a lot of explaining to do you fool!" an angry Grantaire shouted. Enjolras winced as he turned to face him. "Also, did you steal my wallet? Why do you look like filth?"

"I told you, I am working on a project. Eponine thought that maybe she could help me understand the difficulties the poor have to go through each day just to stay alive, and then maybe instead of shouting words at them I can talk _to _the people," Enjolras explained briefly. Grantaire shook his head and took a swig of his bottle.

"You are too dedicated to your bloody revolution," he grumbled sauntering off.

"Dear God, Enjolras! What happened to you! You look like Eponine!" Marius shouted approaching Enjolras and Eponine. Eponine could feel her face flush with anger when Marius said that.

"Have some respect, Marius. Nothing is wrong, I'm merely learning a much needed lesson," Enjolras said. He wondered how many other people would approach him asking what had happened.

"A lesson? What sort of lesson requires… this?" Marius gasped in shock. He had always seen his friend as a perfect marble statue, always clean and articulate. But now the man who stood before him hardly resembled the Enjolras he once knew with his dirty blonde curls and his grimy skin and terrible odor.

"Marius, what is the point of the revolution?" Enjolras asked.

"To bring a change in the government! To mold a republic so the 20th century will be better than the 19th!" Marius said proudly as though he were reciting an excerpt from one of Enjolras' speeches.

"Yes that's true Marius, but _who _are we fighting for?" Enjolras asked. Marius looked at him curiously for several moments before responding.

"The people, of course," Marius said. Enjolras applauded him in an almost sarcastic manner. Eponine looked down at Enjolras' large shoes on her feet and smirked.

"We fight for the people. So tell me, who will fight beside us?" Enjolras pressed on leaning on his elbows and hands. Eponine was amused but slightly uncomfortable standing there.

"The people," Marius said shrugging looking rueful that he had approached Enjolras in the first place seeing as he was about to receive a lecture.

"You say 'the people' in the same tone as you would say 'cattle,'" Enjolras observed cryptically. Marius' interest was piqued at this sudden change in his close friend.

"I merely copy the words that my leader has spoken so nobly before me," Marius said plainly wondering what Enjolras was getting at.

"I have delivered countless speeches to 'the people,' I have talked at them and told them my plans, promising them of a better tomorrow. They pledge their allegiance to my cause, but I cannot understand the pain of these people who have so loyally devoted their lives towards my cause. I have treated them like cattle, assuming they will follow my lead and do as I say, but I haven't even bothered to get to know the people and understand what they go through. I have been living with 'nice things' all my life; good food, fine clothes, and an excellent education, and right now I am familiarizing myself with the life of the poor so I can truly understand what I am fighting for," Enjolras explained carefully and passionately.

Eponine was staring at him in admiration at his carefully chosen words, but Marius was obviously lost.

"How exactly have you been doing this 'familiarizing'? Did you sleep out on the streets?" Marius asked incredulously.

"Not only did I sleep on the streets last night, but for the entire course of this week, I will be staying with Eponine. Then I will have a better understanding of what the people of the slums are going through," Enjolras said. Marius shook his head and ran his hands through his hair.

"I never would have believed you would be this devoted to your revolution," Marius chuckled dryly.

"I will do what is necessary to make my revolution successful," Enjolras said solemnly. Marius looked doubtfully at Enjolras, and then looked at Eponine, and then back at Enjolras.

"I told Eponine that she should try to talk to you; I had no idea that this would happen. Oh well, whatever you plan to accomplish I wish you good luck and I will see you around the café, I presume?" Marius asked distractedly. Enjolras nodded and Marius wandered off to talk to some of the other Les Amis.

"That was really beautiful, what you said to Marius," Eponine said shyly. Enjolras almost blushed at the compliment, but then laughed inwardly at the affect she had on him.

"Thank you, Eponine. You have helped change my perspective without me even asking for help; you granted me with it. I am in your debt," Enjolras said sincerely. It was Eponine's turn to almost blush.

"You don't owe me anything, Enjolras," Eponine said firmly. Enjolras shook his head.

"Oh, but I do. Someday, I will think of something to repay you for your time," Enjolras said.

Eponine just sighed because she knew how strong willed Enjolras could be, and she knew that he wouldn't change his mind.

**A/N: I wanted to write more, but then I was like 'how do I end this? I don't know I felt like this chapter was kind of a filler because some action is going to happen in the next chapter. But the 'debt' that Enjolras has to Eponine might be important later or it might not be… I can't really decide…**


	7. You Are My Sunshine

**A/N: Two chapters in one day again. This is pretty good.**

After another hour or so of small talk with Les Amis, Eponine and Enjolras decided it was a good time to leave the café. Unfortunately, the weather had only gotten worse and it was raining so hard, the pair was soaked to the bone the second they stepped outside. At least Eponine had on a jacket to keep her inner layers somewhat dry, but Enjolras was freezing and sopping wet.

"Can we go back inside?" Enjolras said trough chattering teeth.

"Aw, Enjolras, it's just a little fall of rain. We can tough this out," Eponine said poking him in his side, an action which was supposed to be harmless but Enjolras' skin was sensitive from the cold, and he moaned in pain.

"Sorry! But you did say that you were in my debt, and I say we should keep moving," Eponine urged. She didn't want to go back inside for she was very fond of the rain. She couldn't explain the feeling that the rain gave her, but she knew that it calmed her when life was so stressful it felt like the weight of the world rested on her shoulders.

The feel of the cool water washing over her skin was so nice, and she felt bad that Enjolras didn't appreciate nature's gift of rain. Eponine was so dirty that at this point that the rain was getting rid of the filth that coated her like an extra layer of skin.

"Alright, but maybe we could take shelter somewhere around here and sleep near the café tonight?" Enjolras nearly begged as his long lashes collected more water.

"That sounds like a good idea; I normally stay around this area when it rains," Eponine said with a nod.

Enjolras, shivering, lightly jogged to stand underneath the nearest doorway, and Eponine looked sadly at how desperate Enjolras was, like a true street rat. She could feel her heart skip a beat again looking at him, and she was wondering why it kept doing that. It couldn't be love; Eponine had long ago convinced herself that she would never feel that way for anyone. She thought that maybe she had loved Marius, but when he found Cosette she had tried her hardest to move on. And what she was feeling for Enjolras felt more intense and more real and a hell of a lot _scarier _than any emotion she had ever felt for Marius.

It couldn't be love.

Eponine didn't join Enjolras in the doorway; instead she wandered around in small circles singing to herself keeping him in eyesight. She watched him as he slumped down in the doorway and she sighed as his eyes began to droop.

And then she screamed when someone covered her eyes and grabbed her waist.

"I need money. Now," a rough voice shouted in her ear. Eponine relaxed and stiffened at the same moment as she identified the voice.

"Papa, I don't have any money, you didn't ask for any," Eponine whimpered as someone, her father probably, yanked on her hair.

"You didn't learn anything from the lesson I thought I taught you this morning?" M. Thenardier said raising his voice.

"I did! I did learn! I haven't had enough time!" Eponine cried out, her mind going to the money from Grantaire Enjolras had nicked this morning.

"Eponine, don't you remember? You did get the money this morning!" Enjolras exclaimed saving the day yet again holding up what was left of the 20 francs.

"You got this much since this morning? I am almost impressed," he sneered snatching the money.

Eponine silently mouthed 'thank you' to Enjolras as she offered her father a fake smile. She wanted to run up and hug Enjolras, but she kept her ground as she eyed her papa.

"You have the money, you can go now," Eponine said nearly having to shout to be heard over the pouring rain splattering across the pavements. M. Thenardier carefully counted all the money as he peered at his daughter.

"Why's he still with the likes of you?" he asked quirking an eyebrow. Eponine felt like it was a good time to grab Enjolras' hand, so she did.

"I told you, papa, he's a friend of mine," Eponine said firmly. Enjolras could feel his heart beat faster at Eponine's touch; it was so delicate and rough at the same time. M. Thenardier looked between the two of them and shrugged.

"I don't really care, 'Ponine, about your personal life. I just came for the money. I will come back in about three days for more, but I'll give you a break for now because I see you have _company_," he sneered turning away from the pair shoving the money down his worn coat.

"You always seem to get me out of trouble. You didn't have to waste the money on me though, I could have just taken the beating," Eponine said smiling sadly at Enjolras and squeezing his hand.

"Think nothing of it, I owe you much more. I was not going to let your father hurt you," Enjolras replied squeezing her hand back. "The rain is clearing up a little bit," he added and Eponine giggled in spite of herself.

"The rain is getting worse, Enjolras," she said as she threw her hand back and laughed. Enjolras shrugged his shoulders but he knew why the rain seemed to be easing up; Eponine was his sun, and his sun was shining brightly and evaporating the rain.

"Maybe so, but suddenly the rain does not seem so bad," Enjolras admitted.

There was a long pause and the two were forced to stare into each other's eyes; brown on grey. Each emotion came on stronger, all their senses were heightened. Ordinary things became extraordinary, and somehow everything seemed absolutely wonderful.

Until Enjolras' stomach growled so loud that is was perceptible over the rain.

"I think you might be a little hungry, monsieur," Eponine said teasingly, though she was still very aware of… _everything. _Enjolras shook himself out of his little trance that Eponine had caused and forced himself to laugh.

"I reckon so," he said. Now that he thought about it, his stomach felt like there was a beast lying at the bottom of it trying to claw its way out. He had the smallest amount to eat earlier in the café (he stole it off of Grantaire's plate), and a hearty breakfast yet he had never been hungrier in his life. And Eponine had probably never eaten so much in hers.

"I don't think that we will be able to have anything to eat… its late and there are not any people out; not any people you would want to steal from anyways. And the money is gone…" Eponine trailed off looking guilty.

"It's okay, we can eat tomorrow," Enjolras said trying to sound reassuring, though he really wanted food right then. He should have just beat up her father instead of handed him the money.

Together the two of them took shelter under a balcony and settled down for the night, and Eponine felt herself sleeping right next to Enjolras again to shield him from the cold and the rain.

**A/N: Aw I think a certain two people are starting to fall for each other, and fast. Too fast. I feel like I should slow it down a bit… Or not… Or yes… No… Yeah… GAH I'm really indecisive: P Reviews are appreciated and once you review you will be on the list of things that are cool (like bowties and Stetsons and fezzes)**


	8. Hunger Pains

**A/N: This part is really hard for me to write because I know what I want to happen towards, I just don't know how I want to get to that point. Disclaimer: I do not own Les Mis. I do own Clara though. **

Enjolras woke before the sun had even graced the Earth with its presence, but he still woke up after Eponine. The rain was still coming down and it was so thick that Enjolras could barely make out Eponine standing in the middle streets singing to herself again.

It was a melancholy tune that Enjolras didn't recognize, and he couldn't pick out the words. It almost sounded like a solemn lullaby.

When Enjolras attempted to sit up, an uncomfortable wave of hunger hit him so hard his vision blurred for a moment. A pain that he had never experienced before shot up his stomach and all he wanted to do was throw a fit.

He forced himself to stand up, and he entered the sea of rain to reach Eponine who seemed like an oasis in a desert.

"Eponine," he croaked. Eponine spun around to look at him, greeting him with a smile, but it quickly faded away when she regarded him.

"Are you alright?" she asked him with concern. She knew that he wasn't, however. She knew that he was so hungry that he would do almost anything for food. She knew that he had snapped. And it had only taken a couple skipped meals and no warm bed.

"I need to eat something," he said cupping his hands around his mouth to project his weak voice. Eponine had reached this moment of hunger many times in her life, too many times to count. But she also knew that the feeling of hunger would get better eventually. He wasn't in any real danger, he was just so used to eating and this was an abrupt change.

"We will have to wait until the rain clears; there is no way to get food until then," Eponine said with a twinge of regret.

Enjolras took another step, only to be hit with another wave of hunger.

"Yes there is a bloody way to get food!" Enjolras yelled. Eponine took a step back in surprise at his sudden harshness. "I can just go to my flat and get some food! It's easy and it's legal and I'm going."

Enjolras had been like an hourglass; the sand starts out in a large pile and slowly loses bits and bits of sand until suddenly it all just goes away. Enjolras' common sense had just slipped away from him as the hunger began to take its place and the hourglass was reset, only this time the result of the hourglass would result in Enjolras starving to death if he didn't get some food.

It would take a very long time, of course, and Enjolras would definitely get some food in him before that time, but he wasn't thinking straight and he was certain he was about to perish.

"You are leaving so soon? We still have five more days left after today, are you sure you want to just leave?" Eponine said almost surprised that Enjolras had given up so fast, it wasn't like him.

"I can't take this feeling Eponine. I need food, and I have access to it. I can end this hunger," Enjolras said selfishly. Eponine was infuriated at the words coming out of his mouth.

"_You _can end the hunger for _you_, but what about people like me? We have to go through this every single day! The people on the streets cannot just simply walk into a flat and conveniently get food from there! We have to steal and do immoral things to get money and food just to survive. You want to fix the problem, but you are too selfish to understand it! Your revolution's purpose is to form a new government for the people, but how can you even begin to do that when you can't get the people to support you and you don't even understand what they go through?" Eponine shouted rage boiling inside of her.

"I understand the predicaments now that the poor have to suffer through. This feeling is horrible and I hope to never experience again," Enjolras said bitterly. Eponine shook her head sadly.

"You think you understand, but you have only felt this intense hunger for about five minutes. Some people have felt it their entire lives and the hunger is even worse for them; some even die from the lack of nourishment. You will not die after a week of not having proper meals every day, you will merely feel uncomfortable. You, Enjolras, are not tough enough to stay with me," Eponine spat.

"I'm sorry Eponine, but I can't even think straight right now. I just need to get some food," Enjolras pleaded. Eponine crossed her arms and stared at him, not responding to him at all. She had a feeling that Enjolras might not last the entire week, she just didn't think it would end so soon.

Enjolras turned and walked away ashamed and starving. He glanced behind him to see that Eponine had already jetted off, and Enjolras felt so guilty it almost made his hunger cease.

Eponine was so affronted by Enjolras' behavior, the small feeling that had been previously brewing in her stomach for him seemed to evaporate. She definitely wasn't in love with Enjolras. She probably had just assumed she had feelings for him because she had spent a lot of time with him in one day and she was so tired she felt something that wasn't real. It also didn't hurt that Enjolras was quite attractive.

Meanwhile, Enjolras trudged through the rain wondering where Eponine had gone off to when he realized that she still had his coat and shoes.

He knew it would make more sense at this point to grab some food from inside his flat since it was right there, but a huge part of him wanted to prove to Eponine that he was tough enough to keep up with her frail little body and that he didn't have to get his way and give in to the hunger.

Turning on his heels, he ran as fast as he could back in the direction that he came so he could find Eponine. He searched for her first in the café (he wasn't surprised when she wasn't there, he just thought he ought to try), then he scouted through the area that was near the café, and when he didn't find her there he searched in the area around the Seine, and finally took off to find her where her father's gang hung around.

When Enjolras was on his way there he heard a girl screaming for help. He recognized that voice. That voice made his blood turn cold and his heart beat faster. It's amazing what affect that voice had on him.

Enjolras ran as fast as his feet could carry him to the direction of the constant screeching from the lady. He knew that they had fought, but he had to admit, he did love her at the end of the day.

The girl's name was Clara.

He turned a corner where he saw her fist fighting someone in front of a horseless carriage. He almost wanted to laugh, he never thought he would see her fight someone. Her blonde curls were messy and wet underneath her perfect pink bonnet, her corset looked like it was suffocating her, and her dress was exquisitely decorated with pearls and bows.

She looked like a doll, and it made Enjolras roll his eyes. She had always been spoiled.

Clara obviously hadn't spotted Enjolras yet because she was calling still desperately calling for help as she wrangled with someone else. Enjolras started moving forward to separate the girls.

Enjolras hadn't paid attention to the girl that she was fighting until the girl let out a cry when Clara scratched her face and left a bloody mark. He recognized the other girl's voice too. And it sounded nice to his tired ears. He now saw her knotted brown locks and her torn brown dress underneath his bright red jacket.

Eponine was in a fist fight with Clara. Eponine was beating up his sister.

"Stop it! Break it up!" Enjolras shouted driving himself between the two.

"Oh, Enjolras, it's so good to see you again! Thank you!" Clara said at the same time as Eponine shouted somewhat angrily, "Of course you're here to save the day again!"

They gave each other strange looks. Eponine was mildly fascinated by Clara; she thought that she might be Enjolras' lover.

At the same time, Clara was disgusted and angry at the gamine. She couldn't believe the little street rat had tried to rob her! She was even more surprised that she seemed to know her brother, Enjolras.

Enjolras was uncomfortable, to say the least. He had never intended to see his sister again, even though he was grateful for her and the money she gave him.

"Ladies what happened here?" Enjolras said with an authoritative tone in his voice. Eponine looked sheepish and Clara looked infuriated.

"This little gamine tried to rob me! I had the carriage stopped for a moment because it was lightning outside and I didn't want the horses to spook, and I told the driver he should leave and stay at an inn until the storm passes over. All of a sudden, the door was viciously swung open and this girl tried to steal from me," Clara snapped with her blue eyes looking crazed.

Enjolras sighed at looked sadly at Eponine. He wasn't mad nor was he disappointed; no he was empathetic for her. And he was shameful at himself for running off and leaving her alone.

"Eponine is my friend and I know she wouldn't steal unless she had to. Let this all blow over. Eponine, this is my sister Clara. Clara, meet Eponine," Enjolras said, cringing as he waited for their reactions.

Neither Eponine nor Clara moved to shake hands. Finally, after what seemed to be years of great silence, Eponine spoke.

"Enjolras has mentioned you. He really appreciated all you have done for him," Eponine said trying to make amends with Clara. Clara sniffed and turned her chin up at Eponine refusing to look at her.

Enjolras groaned. He did not know what he should do in this situation, and he wasn't exactly sure whose side he needed to take.

But he chose Eponine's side. In the end, even if it was unintentional, it would always be Eponine.

"Clara, Eponine was starving and desperate. If she had the food you did the thought of stealing would never cross her mind. But she has to stay alive somehow," Enjolras said delicately. Clara threw her hands up and Eponine looked embarrassed.

"So now you are defending this… this thing? This filth? Enjolras you know that I thought it was harsh that mother and father cut you off from your money, but I did agree with them about politics," Clara said coldly glaring at Eponine.

"Well, if our roles were reversed, _you _would be stealing from _me_! If you were this hungry, you would go through drastic lengths to gets scraps to eat just to survive! Do not judge me; you do not know me," Eponine returned just as coldly.

"Well, Eponine, you don't have to resort to stealing," Clara sneered.

"I think I do, actually. As I said, you do not know me," Eponine retorted.

"Clara, I have spent the past couple nights on the streets, and I know that when you reach a point of immense hunger, you do desperate things to quench your hunger such as stealing. Or abandoning a friend," he said directing the last part at Eponine.

She wanted so bad to forgive him, after all if she was that hungry (which she was most of the time) and she had an opportunity for food, she would take it. However, she was Eponine Thenardier and Eponine was not a forgiving person.

"I do not understand the things you do, brother. However, I may as well tell you the reason that I came to visit Paris. I was lonely, Enjolras. I have no friends anymore, they are all busy being wives and mothers while I mope around at home with no man in my life. I came to visit you for some company," she said sadly.

Eponine felt no sympathy for the girl, but Enjolras immediately wanted to help his sister.

"Of course you can stay with me! However, if Eponine would allow, I would like to spend the remainder of the week with her on the streets. You can sleep in my flat, and during the day I can ask my friends to keep you company in the café," Enjolras planned.

Eponine was silent for a moment before she spoke, "I do not mind having you for the rest of the week. I will choose to ignore what happened earlier today."

Clara shrugged and said his idea sounded fine to her.

"I shall wait for my driver to come back. I will see you later, Enjolras," Clara mumbled hopping back in the carriage.

Enjolras turned to Eponine and he began to offer her an apology.

"You don't need to say anything, I told you I will forget about what happened this morning. But I cannot forgive it; not yet," Eponine said with a rough edge to her voice.

Eponine sighed pulling the jacket tightly around her as she thought, _This is going to be a longer week than I ever imagined. _

**A/N: Ugh I was not pleased with this chapter, but I really wanted to have Clara in the story and I thought this was a good way to fit her in. Also, this was my way of slowing down the relationship between Enjolras and Eponine. It will definitely pick up again in later chapters, so don't worry. **


	9. Apologize

**A/N: I can't wait for the Les Mis Deluxe Movie soundtrack to come out! **

"I apologize for how Clara treated you," Enjolras said genuinely as he and Eponine walked.

They had done a lot of that lately; walking. Or so Enjolras thought. He wasn't used to walking so much and eating so little, and his pants were already starting to loosen slightly.

"I'm used to it," Eponine grunted. Enjolras looked at her with a sad expression.

"This morning, I was still half asleep and very hungry. I wasn't thinking straight, and I really do regret my actions," Enjolras said apologizing again, though this time for something else.

"You have already apologized for what happened this morning, Enjolras. I do forgive you, though. I was just being stubborn, I suppose. You didn't do anything wrong, if you put your actions in perspective," Eponine said. "I don't even know why I was mad in the first place. I invited you, you didn't have to stay. I'm not really sure why I did ask you to stay with me, though. It wasn't absolutely necessary; it just seemed like a good idea at the time."

"I think it was very astute of you to have me stay with you, and I truly do believe it could make a difference in the revolution. Maybe later in the day I could meet some of the poor and talk to them," Enjolras suggested hopefully.

"Okay, that sounds like a good idea. Many of the people on the streets are wary of me because of my father, though," Eponine said sadly.

"It is unfortunate that they judge you based on who your father is," Enjolras replied.

"In a lot of ways, I am more terrifying that my father. I am his puppet, and I am used to doing what he says. If he needs me to steal or hurt someone, I am too afraid to say no to him for I know what he will do to me. I have even more trepidation for my father than anyone else in this whole world does," Eponine said.

"If it is that terrible, run away from your father and never return!" Enjolras exclaimed.

"It isn't that easy. Father would always find me, and when he would find me, I can't even imagine what pain he would inflict upon me. He might even try and kill me," Eponine said almost indifferently as though the thought of her own death didn't even bother her.

"What if you ever wanted to get married and start a family? Your father could not detain you," Enjolras said. Eponine snorted.

"Who would ever want to marry me?" Eponine laughed a sad and dark laugh.

Enjolras knew that if any man with half a brain met Eponine, they would want to marry her. But he didn't say that.

"Don't be so pessimistic, I'm sure you will find the love you deserve in your life," Enjolras said reassuringly, but Eponine couldn't bring herself to believe him.

Eponine knew that she was just a foolish girl who was not special. She knew she was foolish because in her heart, she allowed herself to fall in love too easily.

But if a man was to fall in love with her, and then he proposed, what would Eponine say? If she said yes, she was saying yes to a lifelong commitment to one person. Maybe Eponine loved too easily, but she was not one to trust people. Would she trust her husband?

Would she want to be a wife?

Eponine was a free spirit, and being caged in one area for too long was a terrifying thought.

"I doubt it; nobody could ever love me," Eponine grumbled.

"Just wait, Eponine. The best is yet to come," was all Enjolras said about that topic.

There a grand silence as Eponine pondered what Enjolras said and what it could mean one day. Would her life truly get better? Or would everything slide even further down the gutter.

The rain began to ease up, and Enjolras was grateful to see some sunshine. He wasn't too worried about food anymore; Enjolras had used his limited skills in pickpocketing and managed to ferret some money off of his sister while she was busy arguing. Yet, he stomach still was empty and it gave him a huge headache.

When he had shown Eponine the money, she was glad to see it. Enjolras could get some food, and maybe he would be able to clear his head a bit.

The silence was still dragging on and on. Enjolras realized suddenly that the pair didn't have too much to talk about; they hardly knew each other. He scarcely knew anything about this girl that had changed his perspective on the revolution in merely minutes.

"What is your favorite color?" Enjolras asked breaking the heavy silence. Eponine's eyes snapped up and searched his face in confusion.

"What?" she said with questioning eyes.

Enjolras rolled his own eyes and stared at her.

"I'm not asking you for any in depth answer about politics or anything relating to that nature, I just want to know your favorite color," Enjolras replied.

"Er, I suppose it would be green. Or purple maybe, a nice dark purple. I don't really know, nobody has ever asked for my favorite color before," she said uncertainly. "What about your favorite color, Enjolras?"

"I like a rich red; the color of the sunset when it reaches its peak; the color of passion," Enjolras said shortly.

"You do often wear the color, I've noticed," Eponine said casually as she gestured to his coat that she still wore.

"I suppose I do. Alright then, I know your favorite color, now I would like to know: do you have any brothers or sisters? I think I heard you mention a brother earlier?" Enjolras asked.

"Yes, I have a brother named Gavroche, and he is about nine years old. My sister Azelma is fourteen years old," Eponine said. She gave such brief descriptions of the two due to the fact that she hardly knew them; she hadn't seen Azelma in years, and she only saw Gavroche every once in a while at the café.

"I know Gavroche! He frequents the café and attends some of my speeches! I did not know you two were related," Enjolras remarked. "As for myself, Clara is my only sibling. I told you about how she gave me the money and helped me, but I did not tell you all. Clara has always been in favor of the king, and she didn't want to bring about a change. However, politics aren't as important to her as they are to my parents, and Clara somewhat accepts my beliefs. It seems that whenever we are around each other, though, we always end up fighting about the smallest of things. About a year ago we had a big argument over the money, and I swore I would never see her again so we wouldn't argue anymore. I guess she's over the disagreement seeing as she has come to visit."

Eponine nodded her head every so often when Enjolras spoke to show she was paying attention. It was nice for a change to have someone talk to her as though she were equal; as though she was worthy to hear words of a rich man.

Marius did indeed treat her with respect, but he also failed to treat her as an adult. Eponine noticed that when he spoke to her, he would use simple words and delicate phrases as if Eponine wouldn't understand him when he truly spoke his mind. And that has always slightly angered Eponine, but she never really thought about it until now.

"What is your favorite season?" Enjolras asked. He knew it would probably be the spring where the weather was warm but not too hot; crisp without being cold.

"I think that all seasons are equally enchanting, honestly. I could not choose a favorite; each season has its good parts and each season has its bad parts. Nature astonishes me every day with new wonders that I had overlooked the day before," Eponine said sighing.

Enjolras smiled at the girl. He enjoyed talking to Eponine; she was full of surprises and always made him feel… How exactly did Eponine make Enjolras feel? Enjolras still couldn't label his feelings, and he constantly tried to fight the tugs in his heart whenever he looked at her. He kept telling himself that Eponine meant nothing to him other than being a street rat that helped his revolution, but he knew that wasn't true.

He wanted it to stop. He wanted Eponine to go away. But he also never wanted her to leave his side again.

It was very conflicting for the boy.

"When you were little, what did you always dream of being when you were grown?" Enjolras asked.

Eponine thought long and hard. The question was so simple, yet the answer was so complicated. When Eponine had been a child, she had different dreams than she does now; she has completely changed into a different person with low expectations and little hope.

"I always wanted to be a wife and a mother. I would always play 'family' with my dolls and pretend that I had a loving family who cared. But that dream has changed, and shifted, and has been stored into the back of my mind. I hardly wish to be a mother anymore," Eponine scoffed as she ran her calloused hands against the stone bridge that covered the Seine River.

Enjolras fell silent again; he had been expecting a simple answer, but again was surprised at the gamine's answer.

"What about you, Enjolras? When you were a child, were you plotting out a revolution for toddlers?" Eponine asked out of politeness rather than interest.

"Me, I wanted to be a pirate. It was a foolish fantasy, but I always imagined myself as a pirate," Enjolras chuckled running a hand over the small hairs sprouting on his chin that were caused from his lack of shaving in light of recent events.

"A pirate?" Eponine said incredulously. She was not moved to laugh, but she did give Enjolras a sincere smile which he happily returned.

"Not any pirate, but the most feared pirate on the seven seas! I would be the Dreaded Pirate Enjolras," he said recalling his childhood. He had definitely been a little too fond of pirates as a boy.

"I can't imagine you as a pirate. You seem so serious all the time, a pirate seems a little too whimsical and frivolous for you," Eponine commented.

"If you aren't serious, you will never get any work done. Being focused is so important, and nobody around here seems to understand how much I work I try and manage all the time," Enjolras grumbled, but then felt bad for Eponine's comment was only meant as a light tease and not an insult.

"I could be a pirate if I wanted to," he challenge with a coy grin spreading on his face.

"A pirate of the textbooks and knowledge," Eponine retorted.

"I think I could be a little more terrifying than that," he said involuntarily taking a step closer to Eponine as though she were a magnet pulling him in.

"You don't scare me; you talk big but I doubt you could scare a fly," Eponine joked shoving him lightly.

In response, Enjolras scooped Eponine's frail body up in one swift motion and mimicked throwing her into the Seine (while he held on to her with a steal grip, of course). Eponine squealed in fear as she looked at the fast rapids below.

"I can be whimsical and scary if I wanted to be," Enjolras said setting Eponine down.

"You could have dropped me in the water if you let go by accident!" Eponine whined, annoyed that Enjolras had just risked her life.

"Even if I had dropped you, you would have landed on the bridge instead of the water," Enjolras said with a stupid grin on his face.

"Okay, it was still quite scary though," Eponine said looking down at the Seine.

"Aha! You admit it! I can be scary!" Enjolras said with a triumphant look on his face. Eponine wanted to punch it off.

"Whatever, you just caught me off guard," she muttered.

Enjolras kept smiling his grand smile, and eventually it affected Eponine too as a grin spread across her face.

"Maybe you could take me to meet some of the people on the streets, now. I really am excited to talk to them about the revolution, and maybe hear some ideas they have. After all, we are fighting for the people, I may as well listen to what they want in the new world," Enjolras said.

"I can take you to the other parts of the streets where more people are," Eponine suggested.

Enjolras said he would like that very much, and Eponine led him one step closer to a more successful revolution.

**A/N: So sorry if this chapter didn't make any sense, I just wrote it and I am so tired, I am starting to fall asleep. I felt like Eponine and Enjolras should talk to each other to get to actually know each other better before they really started to fall for each other and all that good stuff. The next chapter will probably just focus on Enjolras spreading the word of his revolution to the people of the streets.**


	10. Do the People Hear You Sing?

**A/N: Thank you so, so much to all the lovely people who reviewed and follow my story, it is very much appreciated! **

Eponine wasn't sure if the poor would like or despise Enjolras. As long as he didn't whip out his fancy words and didn't flaunt his knowledge, he should be okay.

Enjolras, for once in his life, wasn't planning out what he was going to say, he was just going to speak straight from his heart.

Eponine wasn't leading him anywhere in particular; they were really just walking until Eponine could find some people that she recognized when a woman holding a baby approached them.

"Ah, Eponine! So nice to see you again! Thank you so much for the bread last week, I cannot even express how much it helped us," the woman said gratefully.

"It was no problem, I was glad to help, Charlotte," Eponine said with a rare smile. Charlotte returned the smile and turned to Enjolras.

"Who is this, Eponine?" she asked examining the man.

"My name is Enjolras," he said politely nodding his head.

"I'm Charlotte, and my daughter here is Maria," the woman responded equally polite.

"Enjolras is the leader of the upcoming revolution," Eponine explained, and Charlotte eyed him in shock.

"You are the leader of the revolution, monsieur? I think you are very brave, but also foolish. You are going to get yourself killed!" Charlotte exclaimed instinctively clutching her baby closer.

"I would lay down my life any day so that another may gain their freedom. I am disgusted with the king, and I strongly believe something needs to be done about the poor! It is saddening to watch children running around without any parents, struggling to survive; women trying to provide for their babies without any help; men who have no pride hobbling down the streets. I want it to end, and I want it to all end now," Enjolras said fervently.

Charlotte was taken aback by the passion radiating from Enjolras.

"Henri! Henri! Come here!" Charlotte called and a man with no arm approached them.

"Eponine you remember Henri, non?" Charlotte asked placing her hand delicately on the man's shoulder.

"Vaguely, you introduced me a while ago. He is your brother, correct?" Eponine asked, wondering why Charlotte had called him over.

"Yes. Henri worked in a factory, when his arm was strangled in a machine," Charlotte explained briefly. "That's irrelevant however; I called him over to talk to you for he strongly supports the rebellion."

Henri rolled his blue eyes and ran his fingers through his tangle of brown hair.

"I can speak for myself, Charlotte," he snapped before turning his gaze toward Eponine and Enjolras.

"I recognize you; I have been to some of your rallies and speeches. They are quite mesmerizing, monsieur. I fully pledge my support to the revolution; I want the monarchy gone forever," Henri said shaking his head. Enjolras' eyes lit up, and Eponine had a feeling he would be chatting with Henri for a while.

"Thank you, I appreciate all the support I can get. A republic is what France needs," Enjolras said.

Henri nodded his head viciously and the two starting discussing details for the revolution so quickly that Eponine couldn't follow along, so she started her own conversation with Charlotte.

Eponine and Charlotte had never been close friends, but they often talked to each other when it was convenient.

"How is little Maria?" Eponine asked sweetly peering at the baby.

"She's doing better, but every single day I feel so guilty for bringing my daughter into this filthy world," Charlotte said sadly. "But maybe your Enjolras will change make it better."

_Your Enjolras? _Eponine let that one slide.

"Maybe he will," she shrugged.

"How do you know him anyways? Are you two in love? Pardon me for asking that, it just seemed like it would be so after the way he looked at you, and also because of the way you look at him," Charlotte said wisely.

"I don't look at him any differently than I do to anyone else," Eponine whispered furiously. Charlotte just laughed.

"Eponine, when you look at people you regard them as though they aren't really there; as though we are all ghosts in this big world. You live inside your head too much, my dear. When you look at me, I feel as though you look straight through me. When you look at that boy, you _see _him. You look at him with such a fierce look, it's as though he's the only real thing in this world," Charlotte said with a dramatic sigh.

"I do no such thing," Eponine snapped, and she could feel a blush rising on her cheeks, thankful that Enjolras and Henri were in too deep of a conversation to hear what was being said.

Except when Eponine glanced over at Enjolras, three more people that Eponine didn't recognize had joined the conversation. Enjolras wasn't preaching at them, he was actually talking with them. They all looked as though they were enjoying themselves.

"You have that look again," Charlotte said in a sing song voice with an obnoxious smirk slapped on her dirty face.

"I. Do. Not," Eponine protested looking away from Enjolras.

"All right, all right. I was just having a bit of fun, God knows I need it," Charlotte said with a somewhat sad chuckle.

"Eponine, Henri is taking me to meet some of his other friends, you can come if you would like," Enjolras shouted.

Eponine replied yes and ran over to his side.

"Your friend here is very inspirational," Henri said beaming. He was excited that maybe there would be a change for the first time in his life.

"He is indeed," said another man Eponine didn't know.

"Did you bring him here?" said a different man.

"Yes, I suppose I did," Eponine said indifferently.

"Good thing you did. My name is Amable. These are my friends Corin and Deniel," Amable said pointing to the two other men.

"My name is Eponine," she said smiling at the men.

Henri stopped in front of a group of men who were laughing and talking together.

"My friends! I would like to introduce you to Enjolras! He is the leader of the revolution I have told you about," Henri said raising his voice so all of his friends would hear.

"Ah, yes! We have heard much about the revolution!" a man with red curls and missing teeth said.

"I went to one of your speeches, and let me say, it was very good," said another man who was leaning on an old wooden crutch.

Enjolras smiled at all of the men, and he immediately compared them to Les Amis. They definitely reminded him of his friends back at the café.

"I am glad to hear that, the revolution is very important to me," Enjolras said seriously.

"Tell them what you told me," Henri urged.

Enjolras nodded and started to talk about how he despised the monarchy and wanted to restore a republic in France, and hopefully provide a better life for the people.

Again, Eponine observed that instead of talking at the people, he gladly let the others speak and ask questions. He even received some suggestions from the men, and he definitely was going to consider them.

All was going well until an old man came up to the group.

"Why do you even try? Why do you care about any of this?" he said with a rough voice.

"Why shouldn't I care? The condition of Paris has gotten out of control, and someone needs to fix it," Enjolras said as the others fell silent.

"Nobody has cared about us before, is your revolution just a trick to get us all killed?" the old man said cynically.

Eponine was surprised at herself how angry that comment made her.

"Enjolras has worked long and hard on his idea for the revolution, it isn't going fizzle out before it has a chance to start. He may have not known what he was talking about, but he has always been dedicated to helping the poor. If the revolution is unsuccessful, Enjolras will perish along with it; he would be too brave and strong to live on. Don't give him a hard time for trying to help you, you ungrateful man!" Eponine shouted.

The man seemed taken aback that he was confronted in such a manner.

"Who are you to say such things?" the man spat.

"I am Eponine, and I am his friend. Don't ever think for one second that Enjolras doesn't really care," Eponine said with venom on her tongue.

The man shook his head and hobbled away angrily.

The men burst out laughing at Eponine's outburst, congratulating her for her sharp tongue and mind.

"That was quite impressive," one man guffawed.

"I have never seen a lady speak in such a manner!" Deniel chuckled.

"You must be as devoted to the revolution as Enjolras!" Corin exclaimed.

"Or just devoted to Enjolras," Charlotte said quietly so only Eponine could hear.

Eponine began to wonder if that was true.

**A/N: Yay, another chapter! We definitely see a different side of Eponine in this chapter. In the next chapter, I think I still want to focus on Enjolras talking with the poor people, but not necessarily about politics. Thanks again for everyone's reviews, they always make me smile. I'm going to go eat some chocolate now for updating, so bye!**


	11. Suddenly

**A/N: Thank you to the people who reviewed and followed my story! I've said it before and I'll say it again, whenever someone reviews I literally cannot stop smiling. It makes me so happy! **

Enjolras had been reduced to standing stiffly in shock. With every word that had left Eponine's mouth, Enjolras' jaw had dropped even further.

Did Eponine really mean what she said? To another man, her words may not have been much of a compliment, but it had a great effect on Enjolras. He couldn't help the small smile from creeping onto his face.

The men around him were laughing and commenting about how unladylike Eponine just acted, but Enjolras couldn't even bring himself to join in. He saw Charlotte whispered something to Eponine, causing a small blush to form on her cheeks and her eyes to widen.

"I don't think that man will ever say anything bad about the revolution again," someone said to Enjolras, causing him to snap back in reality.

As much as he was flattered by Eponine, he was slightly embarrassed too.

"E-Eponine, I offer my thanks to you, however, I could have handled that myself," Enjolras said turning to her. Eponine covered her hands in her face.

"I know, I am sorry! I didn't even think about what I was saying; I just said it. And I regret my actions, I just couldn't stop myself," Eponine mumbled. Enjolras sighed and his heart went out to her for defending him.

"Do not apologize, you were only helping," Enjolras said with a wide grin cracking his face. Suddenly, he found the situation just as funny as the other men and began to crack up.

Eponine regarded him with her hands on her hips as she stared pointedly at Enjolras with slight confusion etched into her features.

"Surely you saw that man's face? It was priceless! He looked so surprised that a woman, nonetheless, spoke to him like you did!" Enjolras wheezed clutching his sides and stomping his foot.

Eponine began to laugh herself; not because of that old man, rather how lighthearted and young and joyful Enjolras looked. Eponine had never seen him look so free before.

"I would like for you to meet my father, Enjolras. I think he would really like to talk with you," a man said as he approached Enjolras.

Enjolras swallowed his laughter and nodded.

"Of course! I would like to talk to as many people as I can," Enjolras said. "Thank you, monsieur…"

"Nicolas, but spare the formalities. We're all friends here," he said gesturing to the men around him. Enjolras looked around and was reminded of Les Amis again; these men were more than friends, they were brothers.

"I shall go and fetch my father," Nicolas said before running off.

Everyone picked up their conversation about politics again, and this time, Eponine joined in.

Nicolas returned shortly not only with his father, but with several other men as well.

"These are my father's friends, and they wanted to come too," Nicolas explained as the men all introduced themselves. They made no haste jumping into the large conversation, asking their questions and pitching ideas.

It was an experience Enjolras had never had before; Les Amis always were silent when he spoke, respectfully nodding and clapping for him; never interrupting or disagreeing. Now, the men here talking with Enjolras did lend him respect, but they also interrupted and disagreed and made Enjolras rethink some of the small details he had planned.

He loved it.

He felt like a leader of Les Amis when he gave speeches, and a brother to them at other times. Today, he felt like both at one time, and it was enthralling.

Eponine smiled as she watched Enjolras talk _and listen _with a new light and passion in his eyes, and she couldn't help but feel a little bit responsible for it. This was exactly what she had wanted for Enjolras to accomplish during his stay with her, and now it was happening before her very eyes.

The people were not only listening, but they were _participating_. The group of people may be small, but it was a start.

Suddenly, Enjolras stopped talking but his mouth kept trying to form a shape. Finally, he pulled his self together and expressed his thought.

"Eponine, your father is over there!" he hissed pulling Eponine aside. Eponine eye's widened as she tried to duck behind Enjolras.

"It's Thenardier and his gang!" Amable whispered to the group in fear.

"He won't go for a group or size, we should just act as normal as possible until they go away," a man name Alex said with fear in his eyes.

"Oh, I hate it when he comes over to these parts. He just robs and abuses the helpless," Henri spat angrily.

"Wait a minute; Eponine is a Thenardier isn't she?" Deniel said in disbelief looking at Enjolras for an answer.

Eponine peered over the top of Enjolras' shoulder and told him to hush. "I may be a Thenardier, but don't think for one second that I support my family and their horrible ways. Please don't let him see that I am here," Eponine whispered ducking her head.

The men attempted to act casually, talking about whatever they could think of, all the while nervously eyeing M. Thenardier to see what he would do. He appeared to be looking for someone, probably Eponine, but eventually he retreated.

Eponine could hear some of the words he was saying to Montparnasse which consisted of: "You swore you saw her come this way" and "I need more money" and "Come on, maybe she went to hang around that group of men she is so fond of."

"It makes sense you are a Thenardier with that mouth of yours," Corin said in a teasing manner.

"I do not like to associate myself with them," Eponine said stiffly, but Enjolras could hear the relief in her voice that her father had left.

"Eponine, I can hide you for a while and steal some money. I owe you for the bread last week, after all. Then if your father finds you, you will have the money to give him," Charlotte offered.

"That isn't necessary; I have money for her that I stole from my sister. Eponine can take that," Enjolras said placing the coins in his jacket that Eponine was wearing (still).

"Enjolras, what about food? Surely you are starving now, don't you want to use the money?" Eponine asked fingering the coins that felt heavy in her pocket.

"I shall be alright, Eponine. A little hunger never hurt anyone, but your father has been known to do so," Enjolras replied.

Eponine smiled at him and offered her thanks before taking her place beside Enjolras in the swarm of people. It had seemed that even more men and women had joined the discussion, and they all seemed to be fascinated by Enjolras.

When the sun started to inch lower in the sky, Eponine thought it was a good time to leave and maybe go find some food. She wanted to buy dinner with the money Enjolras found; her father could wait for the money.

"Do you have to leave already? Why don't you stay over here tonight?" Henri asked Eponine and Enjolras, treating the pair as though they were old friends.

"We have some money to buy dinner, I think we should go and eat now before it gets too late. We will come back a different day, I promise. Maybe not tomorrow, but eventually!" Eponine promised with a genuine smile.

"What money do we have? The money I gave you will go to your father," Enjolras said as they were walking away. However, Enjolras had never felt so hungry in his life, the promise of food was almost impossible to give up. He had tried to forget about it all day, but he could not ignore the starving feeling anymore.

"Nonsense, my father can learn to get money for himself, and not have to rely on me all the damn time! I'm sick of it; I'm sick of him," Eponine said furiously. Eponine didn't like to admit it, but it hurt her heart every time her father asked for money. That's all he thought she was good for, stealing, and it felt like a thousand blades to the heart for Eponine whenever she was reminded of that.

Enjolras was taken aback at the tone Eponine used, it wasn't the forcefulness she had displayed; it was the sadness laced behind every word. Enjolras may not have known Eponine that long, but he could tell that her father wasn't only hurting her physically, but emotionally as well.

"I suppose then, the Dreaded Pirate Enjolras' stolen treasure will buy us dinner tonight," he teased trying to make Eponine smile.

She did.

**A/N: My chocolate box ran out (the one I eat whenever I update a chapter). I'm really sad, but it's all good because I got this new candy box… thing. **

**I like my candy.**


	12. Family Matters

**A/N: Let me just get this out of my system: OH MY THE LES MIS PERFORMANCE AT THE OSCARS WAS SO AMAZING I CAN'T EVEN… AARON TVEIT AND EDDIE REDMAYNE LOOKED SO HANDSOME AND SAMANTHA BARKS WAS AMAZING AS ALWAYS! **

Enjolras and Eponine hungrily wolfed down the bread and meat they had just purchased as they walked to the café.

"I have never been more grateful for food in my entire life," Enjolras said behind a full mouth and a content smile.

"It's amazing that most never realize how important something that they have taken for granted all their lives is until it's gone," Eponine said before she tore a bite out of her bread.

"Sometimes it's the opposite way around; some don't realize that they have been missing something spectacular for the duration of their lives until one day it waltzes into their lives, and they can't imagine living a day without it," Enjolras said catching Eponine off-guard.

She didn't realize that somewhere in the depths of his cold, stone heart that he was referring to her when he said this.

He didn't realize it either.

"Such as the poor don't know how luxurious most pleasantries would feel, but people of your kind cannot imagine going a day without such things, like food and bathes," Eponine said wistfully. She knew somewhere in her mind that that was not what Enjolras had been referring to; the poor.

"I suppose, but I wish wholeheartedly the world wasn't like that," Enjolras said as he finished off his food.

Eponine quickly finished her food as well when the pair neared the Café Musain.

"I wonder if anyone will still be there. I should probably stop at my flat later to see how Clara is faring there. I can only imagine her reaction to Grantaire; I suppose I should have mentioned he shares a flat with me," he said with a devilish grin.

"Oh that's right! I had forgotten about Grantaire. I hope he doesn't startle her," Eponine said sounding not very sorry for Clara at all.

Enjolras shrugged as he pushed open the door to the café, and his jaw immediately dropped to the floor in shock at what lay before him.

"Enjolras, would you so kindly collect your jaw? I don't want to step on it," Eponine teased before she entered the café. Suddenly she saw what Enjolras had seen to make him so surprised.

There, standing before them, was a clearly inebriated Clara with her arm around Grantaire as they, along with the other Les Amis, sang some drinking song.

Enjolras was standing there frozen in shock, but Eponine was slowly laughing and applauding the scene before her.

"Oh, this is good!" she exclaimed merrily clapping Enjolras on the back. The contact of Eponine's hand snapped Enjolras out of his daze and he marched straight up to his sister.

"What are you doing? This isn't like you at all!" he asked in bewilderment. Clara just giggled and stepped forward.

"Calm down, oh serious one. I am merely being acquainted with all of your friends," she said happily gesturing to Les Amis.

"You are hardly being rational. Did you find your way to the flat alright?" Enjolras asked running his hands over his hair.

"Yes I was fine. When I arrived at your flat, I met your friend Grantaire. He is quite charming. I told him who I was, and my reasons for visiting. I was apprehensive of him at first, but now we're as thick of thieves, aren't we?" Clara slurred patting Grantaire on his shoulder.

"Of course we are, Clara!" he exclaimed happily. Clara looked content and gave him a swift kiss on the cheek.

The sight made Enjolras want to retch. The idea of his sister possibly falling for Grantaire was absolutely horrifying.

Eponine found this whole encounter hilarious, and could hardly stifle the throaty laughs from escaping.

"Didn't you just meet this morning?" Eponine said breathlessly, and Enjolras gave her a brief scowl.

"Why, it would seem so! It feels like ages ago," Grantaire said throwing his arm around Clara again causing her to blush slightly.

"I have to say, it is quite a shame for her to be cooped up with your aun-" Grantaire's words abruptly died on his lips as Clara stomped on his foot.

"It was terrible being home alone with absolutely no company whatsoever," Clara said with a fierce look in her eyes that was directed at Grantaire.

"What was he about to say?" Enjolras asked tiredly. He could tell they were hiding something, and he felt obligated to know what it was.

"I can't actually remember what I was going to say," Grantaire said rubbing his chin and shrugging.

Enjolras was too exhausted to press for more information. He shifted the weight between his feet, and he wanted nothing more than to shut his eyes and sleep. He was about to turn to Eponine and suggest that they leave soon, despite just arriving at the café, but it seemed as though Clara had some questions for him.

"Where and why exactly are you staying with that girl? And why do you look so… filthy?" Clara asked looking between Eponine and Enjolras.

"It's a matter of politics, and I am sure you would not like to hear what I have to say for I am afraid you will get bored, or disagree with me, or both. I will tell you one thing: I've been staying on the streets," Enjolras said. Clara stared at him with disbelief behind her eyes.

"The streets? Like a beggar? Amongst the filth of the world?" Clara asked sobering up.

"Yes, however I prefer that you use more delicate terms in my presence, and in Eponine's," he snipped.

"It all depends on perspective, in some people's eyes; _you _are the filth of this world!" Eponine said angrily as she stomped her foot down harshly.

"Don't test me, girl," Clara said wearily massaging her temples in annoyance.

Enjolras did not want another fight between the two, and he thought that maybe it was a good time to pick a spot to sleep.

"I'm afraid it is time for Eponine and I to say good night. I will most likely see you tomorrow, but nothing is set in stone," Enjolras said before pulling Eponine out of the café and out into the starlit world.

"I do not like your sister very much," Eponine said hatefully as she glanced behind her at the café.

"Nor do I, but you can't choose your family," Enjolras said bitterly as he tiredly collapsed into a deserted alleyway.

"I think here is a good of place as any to spend the night," Enjolras said trying to warm himself by tucking his arms inside his shirt. The nights were always chilly, and it was difficult to achieve sleep when he was cold.

He found warmth when Eponine tucked herself beside him and tried to cover some of him with his jacket.

And together the unlikely pair slept under the stars, their worries and troubles vanishing from their minds, subconsciously finding warmth in comfort in each other's arms.

**A/N: I can't stop watching the Les Mis Oscar performance, it's just so good! **


	13. Water to Quench You

**A/N: Earlier in the story I had said that it was September, but I really meant late March. I changed it in the earlier chapter that mentioned it, and now it says March. Also, I can't find the files for my last story; I don't know what happened to it! I might have deleted it… **

_A girl with soft brown curls smiled a beautiful smile showing off her pearly white teeth while skipping and twirling through a golden field under the fading sun. The warm rays that the sun produced cast shadows around the two people, Eponine and Enjolras, as they relaxed in the deserted area. The grass bended in the slight breeze tickling their knees as they walked. The pair wasn't rushed; they were happily taking their time just strolling through the fields. _

_Eponine looked full of light and grace, her cheeks weren't hollow anymore, instead they were full and devoid of dirt. She wore a dark red dress, and her hair cascaded down her back in perfect ringlets. Enjolras watched her with fascination as she gleefully pranced about, beckoning him to come and join her in her dance. _

_Grinning, Enjolras took her hands in his and spun her around, but Eponine lost her footing and came crashing down on Enjolras. Eponine apologized for landing on top of him, but Enjolras just smiled in reply and held her close to him. _

_Simultaneously, they leaned in for a kiss, but something started poking Enjolras in the back. _

"_Enjolras," a boy's voice said. Enjolras looked around in confusion, Eponine definitely hadn't said it, and there was no one else in the field. _

"_Enjolras," the boy repeated, and the poking continued. _

"Enjolras!" the boy shouted clapping Enjolras upside the head. Enjolras was suddenly, and rudely, awaken from his dream to find Gavroche leaning over him.

"Mm, Gavroche, that hurt," Enjolras said rubbing his head. Gavroche looked absolutely aghast as he looked down at his feet.

"M'sorry, Enjo, it's just that I saw you and my sister lying there together on the streets, which was odd because you don't belong on the streets. You're one of those rich bourgeoisies! So naturally, I came over to investigate, but then you started to… call out my sister's name, I guess," Gavroche said speedily without stopping for a breath. "And you started to… I dunno… Hug her? And well, I tried waking you up, but you whispered 'Eponine,' and then ya tried to kiss me!"

Gavroche was shaken, to say the least. Enjolras was _mortified. _

"I can explain that," Enjolras said shakily, praying that Eponine was still asleep. He quickly checked to see if her eyes were still closed, and was thankful when he saw that she was sleeping.

A small smile suddenly spread across Gavroche's little face. "You fancy my sister," he said. It wasn't a question.

"Of course I don't! A man like me does not have time for love!" Enjolras protested silently, not wanting to wake Eponine. He never wanted her to hear about this conversation.

Unfortunately, he remembered every single detail from his dream, down to the warm breeze and the gentle sunshine. And the sparkle in Eponine's eyes. Why did he dream such a dream? He couldn't deny that he had been feeling something for Eponine, but was this what it meant? Did he want to kiss her? Did he want to fall in love with her?

Can people fall in love so fast?

Maybe some people could, but Enjolras was practical, and he wouldn't _let _himself fall in love so fast. On another note, he had an upcoming revolution and No. Time. For. Love.

"I think that you might be lying to yourself," Gavroche said chuckling. Enjolras looked taken aback.

"I am not a liar," Enjolras pouted sounding like a young boy. Gavroche let out a loud laugh and patted Enjolras on the back.

"It is not my place to tell you who you love or not; it is up to _you_ to figure it out. But when, or if, you ever figure out that you love Eponine, don't break her heart," Gavroche said trotting away.

Enjolras watched his small figure retreat, and sat back thinking over everything that just happened. He was most perturbed by his dream; it was improper and just… strange. But Eponine looked so blissful and full of life in it, and it somewhat cracked Enjolras' stone heart and forced a smile on his face. She had looked so in love.

But that was dream Eponine, not real Eponine. The real Eponine had been exposed to the corrupt world with its deceit and betrayal, and that was something that Enjolras would never be able to protect her from. The real Eponine was guarded and she made bad decisions because she needed to stay alive.

"Was Gavroche just here?" Eponine asked rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she sat up.

Enjolras smiled at her, his heart tightening in his chest when she smiled at him.

"Yes, he just left, however," Enjolras said briefly not offering any detail.

"What did he want?" Eponine asked as Enjolras pulled her up to a standing position.

"He merely stopped by for a minute because he thought he saw his sister, but left when he saw you were sleeping," Enjolras said through a loud yawn. Eponine shrugged wishing that Gavroche had stayed, but she was sure that she would see him later.

"Would you like to get some breakfast? Perhaps visit Clara and Grantaire?" Eponine snickered at Enjolras' horrified expression.

"We should save the rest of the money for your father in case we run into him," Enjolras said, not really feeling too hungry.

"That's fine as well," Eponine said. "I'm not really sure what we could do today; I'm not a very interesting person."

Enjolras felt dismayed that Eponine thought so little of herself, when all he could see was light and beauty.

"You should give yourself more credit than that; I think you are interesting," Enjolras said sincerely. Eponine smiled up at him and expressed her thanks.

She saw that even more dirt had wound its way onto Enjolras, his hair was a tangled mess, and bags were forming even deeper under his eyes. He almost looked like he belonged with Eponine.

"I should probably go find my father; I can't avoid him much longer. You should stay at the café, you would only slow me down. Sorry. I'll make this as quick as possible," Eponine said masking her fear.

"I could come with you," Enjolras offered not wanting Eponine to go off by herself.

"I'll be alright; I have lived like this my whole life, I don't need help now," Eponine said running off before Enjolras could further protest.

Eponine knew that her father would probably be waiting for her in his usual area, so she ran there as fast as her legs could carry her. She was relieved and terrified to see her father leaning against a building there and eating an apple casually.

"Papa, I have money for you," Eponine panted out of breath. She handed him a couple francs, only to have her father throw the money back at her face.

"This is all you have brought me, you little brat? I expect more from you!" her father shouted shoving her against the wall. Eponine hid her grimace as she bravely faced her father.

"Get the money yourself! I'm not your slave!" she cried, taking a swing at her father.

"Don't you dare touch me!" he shouted swinging back. "I'll kill you! And I'm going to make it as painful as possible."

Eponine tried to run away, but M. Thenardier grabbed her and pulled her all the way to a river that Eponine used to like to dip her feet in as a child and wash off.

"Have a nice swim," Thenardier spat getting ready to throw his daughter into the river.

"You wouldn't kill me! I get you money! I'm your own flesh and blood!" Eponine cried, allowing her fear to show.

"I shoulda killed you off a long time ago! You're an inconvenience and an extra mouth to feed. But that man you've been hanging around has been distracting you, and if you go off and get married, you'll only send the police after me," Thenardier said before sending her plunging to the depths of the river.

Eponine thought she would never see sunlight again.

**A/N: Oooo cliffhanger. Sorry for any mistakes, I just wrote this and didn't have time to edit!**


	14. I'm Holding Out for a Hero

**A/N: Haha was it cruel how I left the last chapter? I feel a little bit like Moffat right now, it's so empowering! Also, this might be my last update for a little while because I'm going out of town all of next week, and won't be able to write anything ****! Before I leave this weekend I will try to write as much as I possibly can!**

To Eponine, the river had never seemed very deep before today. The water moved in steady currents creating a smooth illusion that looked pleasing to the eye in silky water.

Now, the river seemed like hell to Eponine. The rushing water kept pushing her further and further down no matter how hard she tried to resurface. She wanted to scream out for help, but she knew that the effort would be in vain. Who had seen her? No one. Anybody would turn a blind eye to a Thenardier if they were in need of help, even if the Thenardier was Eponine. The street had looked pretty deserted anyways.

The currents were too strong, and Eponine decided to stop fighting. The once relaxing water hit her skin like daggers, and her lungs were screaming in protest. Eponine knew she probably only had moments left, and she briefly reflected on her life.

She thought about how her father had turned so evil from when she was a child to now. She thought about her friendship with Marius, and how she was always a little bit in love with him. Would Gavroche cry when he found out that his sister was dead? Would he even notice her absence? Did her father regret pushing Eponine in the river?

When black spots began to appear in her eyes, Eponine began to wonder about Enjolras. Would he even miss her? Would his revolution be successful? Eponine felt a pang in her heart as she thought about him.

Suddenly the weight of the river became too much for Eponine, and she slowly began to close her eyes. The last thing she saw was a hand reaching down towards her.

Eponine had been wrong; someone had seen her fall into the river. The eyes of a man who cared witnessed the girl being thrown in the river, and hadn't spared a second's thought as he jumped in after her. He was hell bent on saving her.

Oh, the marble statue did care, after all.

Of course Enjolras had followed Eponine to find her father; he didn't trust M. Thenardier and he wouldn't be able to live with himself if Eponine was injured. He watched her behind buildings, and had sprung into action as he saw her tiny body plunge to the depths of the river. He would always follow Eponine.

The cold water stung his skin, and he swam swiftly downwards until he saw Eponine's body recede to the bottom. Frantically, he reached out for her hand and tugged her upwards and wrapped his arm around her body as he tried to swim to the surface.

The current was strong, but Enjolras was even stronger. He kicked his legs furiously as he advanced towards the surface, desperate to escape the watery prison. He knew he was running out of air, and he began panicking. He didn't even know if Eponine was alive or dead.

Finally, Enjolras could see the top of the water, and he pushed Eponine's body upwards. He almost lost consciousness, but he pushed through the dizzy spell and broke the surface for air, still holding on to Eponine's foot so she wouldn't drift away.

"That man down there is a hero! Did you see him jump after that girl?" someone shouted.

"Ah, bother, he only saved a Thenardier. We're better off without 'em," someone else muttered.

"Can anybody swim? I think that boy needs help!" someone shouted.

A young man ran down all the way to the riverbank and carefully helped Enjolras and Eponine out of the freezing water.

"Are you alright, monsieur?" the man asked Enjolras, but Enjolras didn't answer. He was too busy trying to revive Eponine by pushing on her stomach and breathing air into her lungs.

"She's not waking up," Enjolras said worriedly.

"Does she have a pulse?" a woman asked him nearing the scene.

Enjolras checked her wrist, and sighed in relief when he felt it. It was weak, but it was there nonetheless.

"Yes, but it's faint," he said as he pumped on her stomach.

He was relieved when Eponine responded, but was not so pleased that she had responded by throwing up water in his face.

"Eponine! Eponine!" he shouted cupping her face gently. Eponine coughed up more water, her throat and chest felt as though they were on fire.

"I was dead; or at least I thought I was," Eponine shivered as she tried to sit up, but a sharp throb shot through her chest causing her to lean on her elbows.

"I thought you were dead, too," Enjolras said sadly stroking Eponine's wet hair. It was cold, and he was shivering as well.

"I'm freezing, Enjo," she whispered, coughing up more water.

"Let's get you home," he said scooping her up and carrying her away from the scene. Eponine stared at him solemnly.

"I don't have a home," Eponine said quietly, curling into Enjolras' chest for warmth.

"I'm taking you to my flat, I need you to be safe," Enjolras said shifting Eponine slightly in his arms, but stopped when she whimpered in pain.

The little whimper that came out of Eponine's mouth cracked something in Enjolras' heart; the sound was so foreign coming out of someone as strong as Eponine's mouth, and it broke him. A phantom tear slid down Enjolras' cheek and landed quietly on Eponine's as she began to fade into sleep.

Eponine awoke in a warm nightgown, and a soft bed. Her entire body ached, and she had to stifle a wince as she attempted to get up. She was scared being in this strange place that she didn't recognize, but immediately calmed down as she saw Enjolras hunched over in a chair at the corner of the room. She clumsily walked over to him and prodded him awake.

"Eponine!" Enjolras shouted merrily as he quickly stood up and embraced her. "You gave me quite a scare, there."

Eponine blinked in surprise, but hugged Enjolras back. She couldn't exactly remember what had happened, just her father pushing her into a… river? She surveyed Enjolras, and he no longer looked filthy, but back to his normally clean self.

"What happened?" she asked slowly trying to stretch out her sore limbs.

"Don't you remember? Your father pushed you into a river; I'll kill that bloody man! I will find him and make him wish that he never touched you, I will!" Enjolras shouted swinging his fist.

"I remember that, but what happened after?" Eponine asked delicately.

Enjolras was almost disappointed that she didn't remember him rescuing her… He told her everything that happened, and as he explained the day's events, Eponine's eyes filled with admiration.

"Oh… and also, you've, erm, been asleep for the past two and a half days. I cleaned up a bit. Henri, Charlotte, and their friends and some others stopped by to see how you were doing, and I have even more followers for the revolution," Enjolras added.

"I've been out for that long? No matter, I owe you my _life _for saving me! Thank you for risking yourself for me! I'm not worth it," Eponine grumbled. Enjolras sighed angrily and shook his head.

"Eponine, you _are _worth it! I don't know how many times I will have to tell you, but you really are a true wonder, and I think that you are _definitely _worth saving," Enjolras said honestly giving her a brief hug.

Eponine blushed furiously at his words, but she had never felt happier in her entire life.

"Thank you, Enjolras. For everything. This week may have helped you a lot, but it has also helped me," Eponine admitted sheepishly.

Enjolras was about to reply when Clara and Grantaire barged into the room.

"We heard voices so we thought Eponine had woken, and I can see that we were right," Clara said warmly, and Enjolras groaned.

"What's wrong?" Eponine whispered sensing that Enjolras was upset.

"These two have been bickering on and off these past days, and it is getting on my nerves! Clara was furious with Grantaire for letting her get drunk like that, and it's been fighting nonstop! I have had enough of those two, and I wish they would reasonably sort out their problems for once instead of shouting!" Enjolras shouted hoping the pair would leave so he could talk to Eponine alone.

"Well, that was pleasantly harsh," Grantaire laughed before walking off.

"Can you mind your tongue for one minute?" Clara asked before storming out after Grantaire.

Enjolras smirked, pleased with himself, and turned to Eponine.

"I think that maybe it would be best if you stayed here for the next couple of days," Enjolras admitted worriedly. He didn't know what would become of their week together, but he knew that in the end it hadn't just been about him 'understanding the poor.' He knew that he would never truly understand them, and that he never really belonged on the streets. He could be a friend to the poor at the end of the day, and he liked the sound of that.

"That isn't necessary," Eponine refused trying to walk forward, but was weak and fell into Enjolras' arms.

"Fine," she huffed. "But just a couple days, and then I shall be out of your hair," Eponine said climbing back into bed with Enjolras' help.

"Okay, and then maybe we can continue my week on the streets," Enjolras suggested, but Eponine shook her head.

"I don't think that is necessary. I think that you know now who exactly you are fighting for, but I would be glad to help you with your revolution. You can try talking to more of the poor, and I will gladly accompany you," Eponine said sincerely.

"That sounds grand, but I think it is time for you to rest some more. I know you must be tired. I had Joly come in and look at your injuries, and Clara lent you her nightgown," Enjolras said before leaving, feeling happier and lighter than he had since he saw Eponine fall into the river.

**A/N: Sorry for any mistakes, I didn't have time to proofread it. I wanted to update though because I didn't want to be that cruel from the last chapter!**


	15. Je Promets

**A/N: Let's just say I was very excited to write this chapter. And also, in the last chapter, I thought 'the rivers not just a river anymore! Haha! Thank you everyone for your wonderful reviews, they keep me writing! **

Soft footsteps against the wooden floor in the bedroom were the first thing that Eponine heard when she woke from her deep sleep. The first thing that she saw was Enjolras nervously pacing back and forth in front of her bed, muttering to himself.

When she saw him, there was a strange elevation in her heart, and she couldn't help the blush and smile that were forming on her face. This man had saved her life. She would be dead without Enjolras.

She couldn't even comprehend the amazing feat that Enjolras had gone through to save her! This man touched her soul in a way no other human being had ever done before. He had shown her the ultimate form of love; by putting himself at risk to save Eponine. His actions had such a great impact on Eponine, and he didn't even know it.

"Enjolras?" Eponine asked trying to snap him out of his apparent trance.

"Oh, Eponine! Glad to see that you are awake!" he said joyfully, but then worried lines fell back in their place on his face.

"What's wrong?" Eponine asked biting her bottom lip; if something was bothering Enjolras, it must be serious.

"Nothing is wrong, per say, just… Something's changed," Enjolras said sounding like he had been hit with a sudden realization. He kept running his hands through his hair, shaking his head, and muttering to himself.

"What's changed?" Eponine asked innocently as Enjolras approached her bedside.

"The sun, the moon, the stars, the sky; everything has changed, Eponine," he said somewhat deliriously. Ah, the side effects of love. He sounded like Marius; it startled Enjolras.

"That's… vague," Eponine chuckled, eyeing him strangely.

"Eponine, you've changed me," Enjolras whispered.

"I've noticed a great change in you as well. Instead of being this untouchable marble statue, you are allowing the poor to humanize you, and they can see that you really are a caring human being who is capable of being the best leader of all time," Eponine said fervently. She was almost surprised at her words, but then she remembered that she was talking to a man who had saved her life _and _soul.

"I thank you for your kind words, but that wasn't exactly what I meant," Enjolras said shyly with faint blush creeping up on his cheeks.

Eponine's heart stopped for a moment, and she was desperate to know what he meant. She encouraged him to continue.

Enjolras opened his mouth, but no words found their way out. Frustrated at his own silence, Enjolras decided that he should show Eponine what he meant, and then he did a very, very stupid thing.

Enjolras slowly leaned forward and kissed her.

Eponine was too surprised to react at first, but then she found herself involuntarily kissing him back, melting into his strong body. Eponine noticed that she was a perfect fit for Enjolras, and he wrapped an arm around her drawing her even closer towards him.

They probably would have stayed that way for a while if it hadn't been for blasted Grantaire and his endless wits barging in.

"Clara was whining and whining that she really needs to talk to you, and that-" Grantaire immediately stopped talking at the sight of Eponine and Enjolras. He cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"I'll tell Clara it wasn't an opportune moment," Grantaire said trying to shut the door.

"Send her in," Enjolras' authoritative, and slightly out of breath, voice rang out. Moments later, a flustered Clara entered the room.

"I have something to tell you that I should have said earlier," she said uncomfortably.

"Pray tell, then," Enjolras said motioning for her to continue.

"I lied when I said I came to visit because I was lonely. Actually, I've been the opposite of lonely. For the past year I've been living with Aunt Agnes and Uncle Jacques. They insisted that I come to visit you, and they want for you to return with me back to their house in Provence for a little while. I think they want to try and talk you out of the revolution, or maybe they just want to see if you're still alive; I'm not quite sure," Clara said her eyes darting around the room nervously.

"Aunt Agnes and Uncle Jacques want to see _me_?!" Enjolras asked incredulously, and quite angrily. His aunt and uncle reminded him exactly of his parents; they were small minded, dull witted, annoying people who spat at the poor and worshipped the king. Enjolras couldn't even stand being near them.

"I refuse," he said dismissively.

"I'm afraid you can't refuse; if you do not come with me, they are going to make me take back all the money I gave you, and they will send the coppers after you before your revolution even starts," Clara said slightly reluctant.

"Clara, you don't have to listen to them," Enjolras tried to reason. Eponine felt very awkward with Enjolras' arm still around her, listening to this very personal family argument.

"I agree with them! Just come visit, please!" Clara begged. Enjolras sighed and cast a sidelong glance at Eponine.

"I will go if Eponine can come," Enjolras said.

Both women in the room disagreed with his statement.

"I can't let you bring filth into our home! What will Aunt Agnes and Uncle Jacques say about a beggar soiling their carpets?" Clara cried as Eponine said: "I would not know how to act around rich people who despise the very person I am!"

"I will not go then," Enjolras said simply, and Clara sighed.

"Fine, Eponine can go. But you better clean her up a bit and buy her new dresses or God knows the chaos that will ensue," Clara said bitterly slamming the door on her way out of the room, leaving Eponine and Enjolras alone.

"You do not have to bring me, I am not very important," Eponine said wistfully.

"Not important? Eponine, you are wonderful! You are such an inspiration to me. Every day you have to put up with so much horror on the streets, but I have noticed that you always find a way to smile through your pain, which is something that is not easy. I see now though just a sliver of what you have to go through on the streets and I can say without hesitation: you are the _bravest _person I have ever known in my entire life. And, I thought that maybe I had shown you when I kissed you, but I suppose it needs saying: Eponine, I am falling in love with you."

Suddenly the heavens parted and a beam of sunlight and consumed Enjolras, or that's what Eponine thought. At his kind words, Eponine felt such a raw and delicate feeling that she had never experienced before; she felt as though she were flying through the air at the speed of light, but she also felt grounded to the Earth. Grounded to Enjolras. Nobody had ever spoken to her with such respect and fondness, and Eponine found herself gaping at Enjolras.

"Do you really mean that?" Eponine choked out lightly touching his arm. Enjolras held her intense gaze and nodded soundlessly.

The next thing he knew, Eponine's lips were upon his once more.

**A/N: Wow, this story is still far from being over. Let's just say, this is going to have a happy ending, wink wink, nudge nudge. I can't wait to write more!**


	16. A New Beginning

**A/N: Happy Spring Break (if you're on spring break…)**

This time, Eponine and Enjolras were free of interruptions, and could continue as they pleased.

When the broke away for air, Eponine's head was spinning. She was sure of her new feelings that she was falling in love with Enjolras, but she was terrified of what she was feeling. Her mind had cleared, and the entire world seemed new and wonderful. She understood why it never worked have worked out with Marius, or anyone else for that matter because all her life, every breath she had taken and every emotion she had felt were all saved for Enjolras.

Enjolras' eyes were locked delicately on Eponine's, and for the first time in his life, he wasn't searching for an answer, but rather he was savoring the moment. A surge of emotions stormed freely through his heart like a stampede, and he knew that Eponine would always be the one he would follow.

Eponine took a deep breath and began to speak slowly. "I think- no, I _know_, that I am falling in love with you, too," she said tentatively. Enjolras sighed happily stroking Eponine's face delicately with the pads of his thumbs. His touch was so gentle and unsure, and it made Eponine's heart lurch.

"This is the first time I have ever felt love for another person," Enjolras admitted shyly.

"Well, this is the first time anyone has ever loved me," Eponine replied softly before kissing him again.

"I'm going to kill my sister for what she said, right after I kill your father for hurting you," Enjolras growled as he kissed Eponine's jaw.

"Think nothing of their actions, I am used to it," Eponine sighed leaning back on Enjolras' shoulder. Anger flared in Enjolras' stormy eyes as the words left her mouth.

"I don't know what happened to you that made you think that the way they treated you was acceptable," Enjolras said sadly. Eponine shrugged.

"Everything that has happened to me in my life has desensitized me to that treatment. Enjolras, it's just who I am; a street rat from the heart of the slums," Eponine said simply.

"How can I show you that you are important?" Enjolras said seriously before kissing her forehead.

Eponine didn't respond, instead she placed a sweet kiss on Enjolras' lips.

"I will have to purchase you some dresses to appease my aunt, uncle, and Clara," Enjolras stated pulling away. Eponine felt uncomfortable with the idea that she would have to pretend to be rich; to pretend to be someone that is not. It was an area that was so foreign to her that it was frightening.

"It really isn't necessary," Eponine said firmly trying to reason with him. Enjolras nodded.

"I know all of this _shouldn't _be necessary, and I know that this is going to be difficult for you. But I am doing this to protect you, me, and my revolution. My aunt and uncle will have order, and if I refuse to go, I am afraid what they will do against me, and what they are capable of doing to you," Enjolras replied, and Eponine nodded in understanding.

"I need you to come with me, does that sound ridiculous? I would worry for you without you being there with me, and I cannot face my aunt and uncle alone," Enjolras admitted sheepishly, and Eponine understood.

"I will stand by you," Eponine said squeezing his hand.

"I know," Enjolras said gratefully. "How are you feeling today?" he asked changing the subject.

"I feel fine, honestly," Eponine said trying to get up, but Enjolras held her back.

"Are you absolutely sure?" he asked uncertainly not wanting her to over exert herself.

"I'm positive. In fact, I have never felt better in my life," Eponine said truthfully as she climbed out of bed.

"Today, you should probably take a bath, and then we can go buy you some more dresses," Enjolras said, and Eponine pulled Enjolras to the kitchen.

"Alright…" Eponine said unenthusiastically, but perked up as the wafting smell of food hit her nose. She almost looked embarrassed as she asked, "Can I have some of your food? I'm sorry, it's just that I haven't eaten in a while…"

"Of course, Eponine," Enjolras said as they entered the kitchen to see Clara making some sort of eggs.

"I apologize for my earlier words," Clara said somewhat reluctantly, and it was clear that Grantaire had made her say it.

"Do not say anything you do not mean sincerely, it is not becoming," Enjolras warned angrily. Clara sighed and shook her head.

"No, I really am sorry. This is very stressful for me; I don't truly agree with aunt and uncle, but I am too afraid to go against them," Clara sighed. Eponine understood Clara to some extent, but still despised the girl. Enjolras was still furious.

"It was still out of place for you to treat my guest in such a way," Enjolras said harshly. Clara just shrugged.

"It's not really my problem. I agree I shouldn't have said it, but the past if over, and I can't take it back," Clara said dismissively, frustrating Enjolras.

"You are so close minded I can't believe that we are even related!" Enjolras shouted, and Eponine tried to placate him.

"Can we please try and get along?" Clara asked sadly looking at her feet. "Remember when we were children and we would play together all the time? We had so much fun! Why can't we get along now?"

"We can try, as long as you mind your mouth around Eponine," Enjolras said, and Clara sighed and nodded.

"I, for one, love a great family reunion, but I am quite hungry, so Clara, can I get my eggs?" Grantaire asked from the table. Clara and Enjolras just rolled their eyes, but Eponine found him rather amusing.

Clara dished breakfast out for everyone, and Enjolras and Eponine joined Grantaire at the table.

"What exactly is going on here between you two?" he asked curiously. "I walk in on you kissing, and then Enjolras has been staying with you on the streets, and now you are coming with him to his aunt and uncle's house in Provence…"

"Sometimes matters are private, and you need to learn to stick your nose out of other people's business!" Enjolras said lightly.

Clara brought the food to the table, and watched in horror as Eponine scarfed down her food.

"You must teach that girl manners!" Clara exclaimed.

"You could say that in a nicer tone," Eponine taunted. "Maybe _I _should teach _you _manners."

"I don't have to take this," Clara said wearily.

"Today I am going to take Eponine to select some new dresses… I have classes today, blast it! Clara, could you take her?"

Eponine's eyes widened in horror as a devious smile grew on Clara's face.

"Not only will I do that, but I will help bathe her and give her etiquette so she will act like a proper lady during our visit!" Clara said excitedly. Eponine groaned.

"Don't make me go," Eponine begged Enjolras.

"It must be done," Enjolras said regretfully as he polished off his eggs. Clara just smirked.

"It will not be terrible at all, this will be fun… for me," Clara said happily taking a bite of eggs.

Eponine wanted desperately to be with Enjolras, but at the same time, she did not want to go to Provence. Why did Clara have to ruin everything?

After breakfast was cleared, Enjolras and Grantaire departed for their classes and Eponine and Clara were left alone.

"I really am sorry for what I said about you, I hope you can forgive me. I may not associate myself with… street rats… but if my brother loves you, I think it is possible that we could become friends," Clara said hopefully. Eponine was doubtful that they would ever become friends, but she was willing to at least try and get along with the girl.

"I suppose," Eponine sighed, and Clara offered her a genuine smile.

"Let's get the bath started, and then we can purchase your new dresses," Clara said.

This was going to be a long day.

**A/N: I will probably update later today, so look out for more chapters! **


	17. Mon Ami

**A/N: Clara and Eponine get to have some girl time! And what do girls do? Talk about guys! Haha. But actually. **

Clara drew Eponine's bath, and then explained to her what all the soaps and perfume did. Eponine wasn't as dirty as she normally was, thanks to the river, but she smelled foul and she was excited to take her first proper bath in years.

"Just run this rag with this soap over your body until all the dirt is gone, and then use this perfume right here when you're done; it smells divine. These bottles right here are used for your hair, and this one is for your face," Clara said pointing to the long row of bottles on the bathroom sink.

"Are all these different products really necessary?" Eponine asked with her hands on her hips. Clara stared at Eponine strangely.

"Of course they are! I'm going to let you borrow one of my dresses for today it will probably drown you, but it is better than your rags," Clara said.

"There is nothing wrong with my rags," said Eponine hotly and Clara snorted.

"They would laugh you out of the boutique if you accompanied me wearing them," Clara replied tartly.

"Do I look like a care?" Eponine retorted.

"Will you please just use my dress?" Clara begged, and Eponine nodded reluctantly.

"Get in your bath, and I will return with a dress," Clara said, and muttered as she left, "I'm sure you'd rather have _Enjolras _help you with your bath…"

Eponine dipped her foot in the tub, and sighed as it made contact with the warm water. Slowly, she eased her entire body in the tub, and immediately some of the dirt that caked her skin starting to slowly come off. She put some soap on the rag, and began scrubbing down her body as hard as she could in order to get all the dirt off. It took a while, but eventually she managed to scrape all of the filth off her skin, but it left her skin red and raw.

Next, Eponine attacked her mangled hair with the comb, and her eyes watered as she yanked out the tangles. She dipped her hair in the water, and massaged the soap into her dark tresses. She dunked her head in the water, and felt even more dirt come out of her head. She tried running the comb through her hair again, and managed to get out even more of the knots.

By the time she was all clean, the water had turned cold and black from the dirt. She raised herself out of the bath and dried herself and her hair. Then she applied some of the perfume that Clara had told her to put on, and it had a delectable scent.

Eponine found the dress that Clara had brought her, and she ran her calloused hands over the smooth, dark yellow fabric. Eponine thought that the color look horrid, but it wasn't her place to judge. She slipped it on over her small frame, and then she called Clara in to help her fasten it.

"That dress has always been my least favorite dress. My mother's friend gifted it to me after my mother died, and it was too small. I figured that it might fit you better than my other dresses," Clara explained as she fastened the ties on the dress as tight as she could. The dress did indeed drown Eponine, but it was still the nicest thing that she had ever worn.

"Thank you," she felt obliged to say, and Clara gave her a genuine smile in return.

"Too bad Enjolras isn't here to see you!" Clara said giddily.

"I'm sure this would look better on you than it does on me," Eponine said pointing to all the areas that were loose.

"You look very nice; I don't think anybody will be able to tell that you are from the streets. Or maybe they will, you are quite skinny," Clara said.

"As I said earlier, other's opinions hardly concern me," Eponine shrugged.

"I can do your hair and makeup for you, if you would like," Clara suggested.

Eponine agreed (though not exactly happily), and in the next moment, Clara was applying a light rouge to Eponine's lips carefully as though if she were to mess up, the world would end. When she set down the rouge, she selected a charcoal to apply carefully to Eponine's eyes. She dusted some sort of powder over Eponine's face, and then decided that her job was done.

"Voila! I have transformed you!" Clara exclaimed proudly fingering Eponine's locks. "Later you will need a trim on your hair..." she muttered.

"I like my hair the way it is," Eponine said stiffly. She took pride in her long mane.

"You have perfect, natural ringlets, I wish my hair would do the same," Clara said jealously as she swept Eponine's hair into a knot on the side of her head, letting some loose strands fall down.

"When we go into public, you have to keep your shoulders back, your head up, and chin out. If you act the part, people will believe you are one of them," Clara advised, and Eponine focused on her posture.

"You look like an entirely different person!" Clara exclaimed.

"I preferred my old self better," Eponine grumbled pulling at the fabric on the dress.

"Well, I prefer the new you," Clara snapped.

"Enjolras would prefer the old me," Eponine retorted, but Clara just laughed.

"I doubt it! I'm sure he would prefer this new you as well," Clara replied harshly.

"Grantaire, yes. Enjolras wouldn't care. He loves me, not matter what I look like," Eponine said harshly, but Clara made a noise of disbelief. The two had been getting along, but now things were taking a turn for the worst.

"Can we just go get the dresses now? I would like to get _that _part of the day over with," Eponine said rolling her eyes. Clara nodded, and the two of them made their way to the dress shop. The sun didn't provide much warmth, and Eponine was a little cold as they walked.

"I am not familiar with the area; do you know where we are going?" Clara asked Eponine.

"I may not have ever been inside the dress shop, but I know my way around," Eponine said implying that she did indeed know where they were headed.

The rest of the walk was silent, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Eponine noticed that the world seemed to be kinder to her when she was cleaned up. People, especially men, paid more attention to her when she passed, but it was good attention.

Or maybe it was all for Clara, but Eponine didn't really care.

The two entered the dress shop, and Eponine's eyes immediately widened at all the dresses.

"Do you need some assistance?" a plump blonde approached Eponine with kind, sparkling eyes. Her judging eyes devoured Eponine, and she sniffed when she saw how skinny Eponine was. Eponine could not help but shoot a rude look at the woman for judging her.

"Yes please," Clara said answering for her. "We need to get Eponine here about two or three formal dresses, and four more casual ones."

"Come with me, Eponine, I'll take your measurements. My name is Corinne, by the way," she said leading Eponine to the back. The woman twisted on her graying hair as they walked. Eponine already did not like Corinne.

Corinne told Eponine to stand still as she measured her (and tsked, again, at how skinny she was), and started to fit her for her new dresses.

"Do you have any color preferences?" Corinne asked, and a small smile formed on Eponine's lips.

"Red," she stated, a full grin breaking out, her mind immediately thinking of Enjolras. Eponine couldn't wait to see Enjolras' face when he would see her wearing a red dress. Red was a lovely color, after all. She could see why Enjorlas was so fond of it.

Corinne asked if there were any other colors, but Eponine said she did not know what would look best on her. Corinne looked doubtfully at her as she looked Eponine up and down once more, taking note of her hair and eye color, and turned on her heels to begin her search for the dresses. Eponine crossly folded her arms; she had almost never felt more scrutinized in your life. That's what happens when you catch a rat and force it to play.

A couple hours later, Clara and Eponine emerged from the boutique carrying garment bags filled with dresses. A couple of the dresses were red, a couple more were floral, one was purple, one was green, and the last one was a deep blue. Eponine didn't care too much about them, but she knew it was 'necessary.'

"Is Grantaire courting anybody?" Clara asked randomly, and Eponine looked at her curiously. Why would Clara want to know Grantaire's personal affairs?

"No, not that I'm aware," Eponine said slowly, staring at Clara as though she sprouted a second head. Could Clara possibly... No, that would be ridiculous.

"I was just wondering. I'm a little surprised to be honest; Grantaire is so handsome," she sighed. To say Eponine's jaw hit the ground would be under exaggerating.

"You fancy Grantaire?" Eponine gasped, and Clara blushed. Eponine almost didn't believe her.

"I suppose I do a little bit, it would be hard not to," Clara said giddily.

"As in Grantaire, the man who can barely hold his own self up?" Eponine asked in shock.

"We can choose who we fall in love with sometimes; you fell for my brother," Clara said. Eponine curled her fists, though she had no intention of hitting Clara. It was just a reflex she had picked up when she became defensive of something.

"Your brother is a great man. Whenever I'm with him, he's the only person who I can see," Eponine sighed, and she began to relax visibly as she thought of her Enjolras.

"I don't know what you see in my brother," Clara said rolling her eyes. Eponine almost laughed at Clara's expression.

"I would hope not; he's your brother. But we are entitled to our own opinions," Eponine shrugged.

"Grantaire is a better man than my brother," Clara said firmly.

"Enjolras is the best man in the world," Eponine replied with vigor.

The two girls had a stare down with pursed lips.

"Agree to disagree?" Clara said eventually, and for no apparent reason, Eponine burst out laughing.

"Yes, of course," Eponine said breathlessly, and now it was Clara's turn to look at Eponine strangely.

"What in the world is so funny?" Clara said with a small chuckle. Eponine just quirked her eyebrow.

"Does there have to be a reason to laugh?" Eponine asked.

"You know, you aren't half as bad as I originally thought," Clara admitted linking arms with Eponine.

"I could say the same thing about you," Eponine said, and Clara looked down for a moment.

"I really am sorry that I called you filth earlier, I didn't really mean it. And I don't really agree with my aunt and my uncle; I'm honestly just terrified of what they will do if I go against them," Clara said, and Eponine nodded.

"I can you forgive you. I guess I should apologize from trying to steal from you," Eponine said as she pushed open the door to Enjolras' flat.

Eponine turned around to say something to Clara, but she didn't watch where she was going, and she ran into something very solid.

"Eponine? Is that really you?" Enjolras asked. Eponine whipped her head around and found Enjolras staring at her with large eyes.

She blushed under his affectionate gaze, and nodded slightly causing her curls to bounce up and down.

"You look beautiful," Enjolras breathed embracing his Eponine. "You always look beautiful to me, though."

Eponine beamed at him, and thought that maybe her new dresses weren't so bad.

**A/N: Oh my goodness, thank you everyone for your wonderful reviews! They always make my day! After this, I probably won't be able to publish anything until next Sunday **


	18. Bon Voyage!

**A/N: I'm not updating once a week, I'm just going out of town with no wifi so I won't be able to update **_**for **_**a week. Sorry for any confusion! Also, sorry for the shortness of this chapter. **

Eponine, Enjolras, Grantaire, and Clara all sat at the dinner table together discussing the 'vacation' to Provence.

"What day shall we depart?" Enjolras asked Clara.

"I suppose we can leave in about three days, I can arrange us a carriage and we can be on our way," Clara suggested.

"Three days is so soon!" Eponine exclaimed.

"The sooner the better; I want to get this over with," Enjolras groaned, and Eponine had to agree with him.

"It won't be horrible," Clara tried to assure them.

"According to whom?" Enjolras muttered before taking a bite of his chicken, and Eponine had to stifle a giggle. Clara shot them a glare.

"We will have each other, and that will be enough for me," Eponine said affectionately as she grabbed Enjolras' hand. They looked as though they were about to lean in for a kiss when Clara shouted, "I would prefer if you would refrain from public displays of affection when we are there! Oh, I'll be all alone while you two are off together…"

"Nonsense, Grantaire will be accompanying us. He can keep you company," Enjolras stated simply, but Grantaire began to protest.

"I have to come? I have no business with your aunt and uncle in Provence! This is not fair; I am not going," Grantaire replied before taking a swig out of his bottle.

"Don't you want to grace Clara with your company? Please come, I do not trust you alone in our flat," Enjolras begged. Grantaire glared at him, but agreed to come.

"Now that he's coming, Clara might be distracted so we can have some time alone," Enjolras whispered into Eponine's ear. His breath on her neck caused her to shiver, and she turned to him and replied, "I think that Clara truly does fancy Grantaire. That must be terrifying to you."

Enjolras considerably paled at Eponine's statement, and the thought of Grantaire and Clara getting married flashed before his eyes. Maybe Grantaire coming was a bad idea.

"Eponine, I highly doubt that my aunt and uncle will recognize your last name, but I think we should be safe and pretend that your last name is Therrian. If they somehow know who the Thenardiers are, or if they find out you are a street rat, they would probably try and arrest you somehow," Clara said.

"Eponine Therrian," Eponine said testing out her new name.

"They could pretend that they are married so your aunt and uncle will permit them to share a room; God knows that they already do," Grantaire suggested, but Clara put her foot down.

"I think it would be wise to stick as close to the truth as possible," Clara said.

"I do not think I am ready to do this," Eponine said worriedly as she chewed on her bottom lip.

"I have faith in you," Enjolras said softly as he brushed some of Eponine's hair out of her eyes.

Enjolras glanced at her softly, admiring her new look. She was still wearing Clara's yellow dress, her makeup was all still on, and her hair was still pinned up in a knot on the side of her head (some more stray hairs had fallen down, though). Enjolras thought she would look beautiful no matter what she wore, but he had to admit that she looked even more beautiful now than she normally did. Not because of the dress, makeup, or hair. No, it wasn't anything superficial. She was especially beautiful tonight because of a certain light that blessed Eponine's face and brightened her eyes. A new fullness and innocence had struck Eponine's features, and she looked more confident in herself.

Enjolras had never seen anything more exquisite in his life.

"I really wish they weren't forcing you to come visit them like this," Clara said somewhat apologetically.

"Think nothing of it; the trip will be over before we realize it. And I have to admit: it was nice to see you again. I do owe you so much," Enjolras said to his sister.

"Thank you brother, I love you," Clara said beaming, and Enjolras responded with an 'I love you too.'

"I'm sorry if this is going to delay your revolution," Eponine said before taking a bite of her food. Enjolras hadn't even thought of his revolution in an entire day! What was happening? He couldn't keep getting distracted! How could he plan out his revolution in Provence?

"My revolution! I am slacking!" Enjolras exclaimed and Clara sighed.

"Try not to talk too much about your revolution in Provence, we don't need the neighbors getting upset," Clara said massaging her temples.

A great idea struck Enjolras: he had been speaking to the poor for so long, what would happen if he could help rally some of the rich? They would have the money and resources to spare, and maybe if he was lucky, Enjolras could gain their support. He couldn't say this out loud in front of Clara (he wasn't exactly sure if he could trust her), but he would tell Eponine later.

"What will the neighbors think!" Enjolras exclaimed in mock horror.

"I thought Provence was full of farmers," Eponine said in confusion.

"There are plenty of farmers in Provence, but there are many rich people with large mansions, if you know where to go," Clara explained.

"I think this is all unnecessary and ridiculous," Grantaire slurred from his corner of the table.

"Thank you for your input, Grantaire," Clara snapped.

"It is no problem, I know you all crave my opinions," Grantaire chuckled.

"If you were ever sober enough to form a coherent sentence!" Clara shouted.

"You don't need to be sober to speak, but you have to be drunk to have fun," he retorted.

"That is the most incorrect statement I have heard in my _entire _life!" Clara yelled back.

"How long did you say are we staying with them?" Eponine asked.

**A/N: Bye everyone for a week! I'll post a new chapter next Sunday, and after that, I should be able to update as much as I normally do. **


	19. A Bourgeoisie's Life for Me

**A/N: I would've updated earlier today, but our plane was canceled and stuff **** anyways, I'm back now! Wooo party! I missed writing my story!**

Clara decided that it would be best to send a letter three days prior to their departure to let Aunt Agnes and Uncle Jacques be aware of their arrival and inform them that there will be two extra guests, Eponine and Grantaire. When the letter was sent, Eponine could feel the time between freedom and captivity vanishing, and that startled her. Every day, Eponine would insist that it wasn't necessary that she accompanied them, and Grantaire posed the same argument, but each time they brought the subject up, both Enjolras and Clara would insist they came.

"Three days before we leave," Eponine said, and a grave looked reflected upon Enjolras' stony face, but gave no further acknowledgment from his spot on the couch.

"I won't know how to act, I apologize in advance if I embarrass you _or _Clara," Eponine said absentmindedly. Enjolras put down his book for a moment and gave her a stern look.

"You could never embarrass me, Eponine," Enjolras said stroking her cheek and offering her a small smile.

"Will your aunt and uncle spare any kindness towards us?" Eponine asked chewing on her lower lip in worry.

"Calm yourself, I am sure if we all behave in line, everything will be fine," Enjolras said cryptically, and Eponine wanted a straight answer.

"Are they genial people, Enjolras?" Eponine pressed, and Enjolras sighed.

"They are selectively kind, and they do not extend their hospitality towards me. However, you might make a good impression on them," Enjolras said without much hope. Eponine squeezed her eyes shut, and tried recalling all the advice Clara had given her during their lesson.

"Eponine, I cannot see how they won't like you, as long as they are under the impression that you are rich. I know that my aunt and uncle have always wanted a daughter, and they will probably treat you like one," Enjolras said holding her petit hand. Eponine snuggled into his side, and admired how perfectly she fit into his strong body. She lifted her head and stared deeply into his passionate eyes.

"I'll be there for you," Enjolras assured her, but the sinking feeling in Eponine's stomach didn't go away. She didn't care too much about what Agnes and Jacques thought of her; she was just afraid of losing her freedom. There will be no more running amuck on the streets with Gavroche, no more pickpocketing, no more dirt caking her body throughout the duration of the 'trip.'

Eponine felt some solace in the fact that she would be able to return to the streets upon their return to Paris. The only reason she was at Enjolras' flat was because she _had _been injured, and now he wanted her to keep clean until they leave for Provence. Eponine was an independent woman, and she wasn't going to keep relying on Enjolras.

"I know you will, and I will be there for you in re-"

"I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU DID THAT, GRANTAIRE! YOU MESSED UP TOO SPECTACULARLY FOR YOUR OWN GOOD THIS TIME!" someone shouted interrupting Eponine.

"Ah, there they go again," Enjolras said rubbing his temples as Clara slammed the front door angrily, but not before Grantaire walked in.

"It was hardly a problem! In fact, the only issue is that you are too sensitive!" Grantaire snapped back, and Clara slapped his face.

"You can definitely tell she loves him," Eponine whispered to Enjolras.

"Don't you dare," Clara said harshly, and Grantaire almost looked ashamed.

Eponine cleared her throat from the couch, letting Clara and Grantaire know that there were other people still in the room. "What exactly happened… this time?" she asked curiously.

"I kissed her," Grantaire said simply as though it were no big deal. Eponine and Enjolras were confused, didn't Clara fancy Grantaire? Why would she have minded? Clara opened her mouth in protest.

"That is not all that happened! I wouldn't have minded if you had just kissed me! It was _why _you kissed me and _where _you kissed me that is so frustrating!" Clara screeched hitting Grantaire on his chest. "This git kissed me to make another woman jealous! The woman was approaching us, and he just pulled me in for a kiss as though we kissed regularly! We were in public, and he humiliated me! Not to mention, he used me!"

Enjolras and Eponine both gave Grantaire the harshest glares they could muster, and Grantaire could not decide whom he was more afraid of at the moment.

"If it makes you feel better, my plan didn't even work! The woman, Gabrielle, is courting someone else, as we found out," Grantaire said bitterly.

Eponine felt her heart go out to Clara; that must have wounded her.

"Grantaire you used to call me blind to women, but this surpasses anything you have previously accused me with! How can you be so ignorant?" Enjolras shouted. He may not have always gotten along with his sister, but he would always defend his little sister. Eponine said nothing, but her glare intensified if that was even possible.

Grantaire was definitely more scared of Eponine.

"This is not a big deal all of you! I am going out for a bit, and when I return, I expect all of you to accept my apology!" Grantaire said walking outside. A single tear slipped down Clara's cheek, but she wiped it away before Eponine could say anything.

"Maybe you two could take a walk; I would prefer to be alone," Clara sniffled as she sat down on the chair.

"Come on Enjolras, we could use some fresh air," Eponine urged. She hadn't been outside in an entire day, and she was drowning. Enjolras embraced his sister before he followed Eponine outside.

"We can venture all the way down to the slums and say goodbye to Henri and his friends before we leave," Eponine suggested, and Enjolras gratefully accepted the idea. The couple laughed and chatted blissfully as the made their way to the slums. They didn't even think about changing their clothes, and beggars kept grabbing onto them and begging for money.

Enjolras was overwhelmed with the desperation and hunger that glistened in the dead eyes of the poor, and Eponine noticed that he had shut off his emotions and was as detailed as a blank sheet of paper.

"Enjolras keep moving! What has gotten into you?" Eponine asked attempting to get Enjolras moving at a faster pace.

"I apologize," he grumbled. "I am always dumbfounded when I see people that deserve so much receive so little."

Eponine squeezed his hand, hoping to offer some comfort. The sky was growing darker by the minute, and Eponine knew they needed to walk faster in order to return to Enjolras' flat before it was too late at night.

Suddenly, Eponine's thoughts were disrupted by a loud, piercing scream that plagued the night air. The scream was not a scream of terror nor pain, but rather heartbreak and loss. Eponine could see the source of the heart wrenching scream; it was a young woman cradling a little bundle in her arms. Her heart sank immediately as she recognized the scene: the woman was a mother who had just lost her baby. It happened frequently on the streets, but each time Eponine witnessed it, she felt a knife freshly being stabbed into her heart.

"We don't need to see this, Enjolras. We can come back and talk to Henri tomorrow," Eponine said trying to hide her watering eyes. Enjolras didn't know what was happening.

"I think that woman over there just shouted out, maybe we can help her!" Enjolras suggested, but Eponine shook her head sadly.

"She is beyond help, we should probably go," Eponine said trying to pull Enjolras away, but he wasn't having it.

"I insist that we go help," Enjolras said running up to the woman who had broken down into sobs, clutching onto her lifeless child. Eponine followed him and tried to get him away, but her efforts were in vain.

"Is something wrong?" Enjolras asked the woman gently as she lifted up her head.

"Charlotte?" Eponine gasped as she stared into the woman's eyes.

"Eponine? Enjolras?" Charlotte replied through her tears, still holding her baby.

Enjolras was about to ask what happened, but Eponine cut him off.

"Will you be okay?" was all Eponine said, but Charlotte shook her head.

"My daughter was too young to die! She hadn't seen enough of God's green earth! It wasn't time for her to go away!" Charlotte cried, and Eponine gave Charlotte a sympathetic hug. Enjolras understood now what had happened.

His 'overwhelmed' emotions from earlier could not even compare to his agony now. He could not stop the hot tears from spilling down his face, and Eponine was taken aback, and she leapt up to hug him with all her might. Enjolras was not a man who cried.

Charlotte had calmed down a little at this point. "Thank you for coming over here. I'm glad to know that somebody cares about me," Charlotte said wiping her eyes.

"Of course, Charlotte. I am truly sorry this happened to you," Eponine said placing her hand gingerly on Charlotte's shoulder.

"You should get home soon; you know how dangerous the streets are at night, especially in attire such as yours! That is a fine dress," Charlotte said. Enjolras was still sobbing heavily into Eponine's shoulder as Charlotte walked away with her shoulders slumped.

"Let's go home, Enjolras," Eponine said trying to get him to look at her.

"_That_ is why France must change!" Enjolras shouted to nobody in particular.

"Enjolras, bad things happen, okay? Bad things happen. We can either dwell on the past, or move _on_. It will do Charlotte no good to pity her. Nothing in this world can bring her child back," Eponine said sadly.

"I want to help so that it will never happen again to anybody," Enjolras said sadly. "How can the government allow this to happen? It isn't fair that someone so young has to die before they get to experience life!"

Enjolras hoped sincerely that he could rally some of the bourgeoisie.

**A/N: Aw that was a little sad… **


	20. My Way or the Highway

**A/N: The chapter title doesn't really have anything to do with the chapter I just like to say 'my way or the highway.' They didn't even have highways in 19****th**** century France! **

After the death of Charlotte's daughter, Eponine felt somewhat protective of Enjolras and she wanted to shelter him from the cruelties of the world. He had been in hysterics for the rest of the day, and he made Clara ridiculously worried about him. He eventually stopped his sobbing, but he had been moody ever since.

Currently, he was mindlessly shoving shirts, cravats, and trousers into a wooden chest that he was going to bring along with him to Provence, and Eponine was sitting on the edge of his bed, bored out of her mind.

"Enjolras, I told you this earlier, and I will say it again: you need to forget about what happened," Eponine said softly trying to snap him out of his trance, but Enjolras shook his head.

"It would be disrespectful to forget! I will never forget Charlotte's heartbroken sobbing or the dead look in her eyes. A parent and a child's love are so powerful that when it is broken, angels cry and the skies turn gray. But in this corrupt world, when a baby passes away on the streets, nobody even seems to flinch," Enjolras said sadly.

"I know it is terrible truth, but we must recover. I have faith in you, Enjolras, and I know one day you will change the colors of the world! Live in the moment now because if you do perish at the barricades, you cannot get this time back," Eponine said wisely causing Enjolras to sigh. He stopped his packing and sat down next to Eponine on the bed.

"I'm sorry, I know I am acting completely ridiculous," Enjolras said wrapping his arms around Eponine.

"You are not acting ridiculous, I was just worried about you," Eponine said reassuringly. "But why, I must ask. Why are you talking this so personally?" Enjolras hung his head and let out a humorless laugh.

"When I was child, I always wanted to be a father. Does that sound ridiculous? The dream changed as I grew older, but I think I have maintained my soft spot for children," Enjolras said gently with a faraway look reflecting in his eyes.

Eponine couldn't conjure any words of comfort, so she fell into a great silence as Enjolras resumed his hasty packing. Eponine sighed and exited the room, she decided that maybe Enjolras could use some time alone. Though, she wished she hadn't left at the sight she was greeted with a rather disturbing sight: Grantaire and Clara were leaning against the wall, kissing.

Eponine wanted to walk away, but she decided that it was a good time to get revenge against them for interrupting her and Enjolras. She let out a high pitched scream causing the two to break apart.

"Eponine, what in the world?" Clara asked with a furious blush sprouting on her cheeks. Grantaire embarrassedly rubbed the back of his neck.

Eponine just grinned as though she thought herself the funniest thing in the world.

"I was just startled, mademoiselle," Eponine snickered. Clara looked utterly annoyed, but Grantaire was clearly amused. "I must say, this is definitely an improvement from the other day."

"It is none of your business! Anyways, are you ready for our departure? The carriage will be here in a couple hours," Clara snipped changing the subject as she smoothed out the imperceptible wrinkles in her blue dress. Eponine nodded.

"Good. I am going to take a walk through the marketplace, would you care to accompany me, Eponine?" Clara asked.

"Of course! I could use a bit of fresh air, and Enjolras is in a foul mood," Eponine said as she joined Clara at the front door. Both girls knew that the entire point of the walk was to give Clara a chance to gossip about her and Grantaire.

"I'm going to go finish packing myself," Grantaire said as he retreated to his room.

"What exactly just happened?" Eponine urged as they were safely outside. Clara giggled.

"We were arguing again about the kiss from earlier, and then he told me that he was not trying to make the girl jealous; he just wanted to kiss me. Then he explained himself and told me that he really fancied me, and then… well… you saw what happened," Clara said giddily.

"I'm happy for you," Eponine said honestly.

"What's new with you and Enjolras?" Clara asked.

"Nothing; he has been upset ever since he witnessed the passing away of the baby. Remember I told you about what had happened? He still hasn't quite recovered," Eponine said wistfully picking at the petals of a flower.

"Don't you fret; he will get over it soon," Clara assured Eponine, and Eponine hoped she was right.

The two girls stopped in front of a vender selling flowers, and they were gazing longingly at the different shades of red, pink, purple, yellow, and blue.

"I am going to miss being able to go out into the streets of Paris freely," Eponine sighed casting her eyes over the marketplace as though she were trying to memorize every little detail to take with her in Provence.

"I am glad you are coming to Provence with me! We _will _have fun," Clara said convincingly as Eponine picked up a flower and inhaled it deeply.

"I hope so," Eponine muttered.

The two girls spent another hour leisurely looking around the marketplace before Clara decided that they really needed to get back home so they had time to get ready.

"I think you will love Provence, Eponine! It's so open there, and the air is so fresh," Clara said as the reentered the flat.

"I hope for your sake and mine that I enjoy Provence," Eponine said stiffly. "If I absolutely cannot stand it, I demand to return home immediately!"

"That is preposterous! You will only be there for a week or two, please try to stay," Clara begged. Eponine agreed, but not happily.

Suddenly, two large black, carriages pulled in front of the building, and Eponine's heart dropped to the floor.

**A/N: So the next journey begins! The next chapter will have more E/E, I promise.**


	21. The Road to Home

**A/N: Where have I been? I haven't updated in a while! Middle school is busy. But middle school is less busy than the people who are in high school and college and stuff who have fanfictions who update a lot so I will shut up now. The last two chapters have been filler chapters, and this is getting back on track. **

Clara and Grantaire sat in one carriage, and Eponine and Enjolras resided in the other. Eponine couldn't recall ever riding in a carriage, but she didn't like it. She did not agree with the rich plum interior and velvet benches. She gazed longingly out the window into the sunshine, wishing with that she could run free with her hair blowing gently in the breeze. She dreamed about the sweet fragrance of the flowers when they bowed down to her as she walked by and the puffy texture of the clouds as they beamed down on her from their home in the sky.

"Eponine, you look as though you wish to break the glass and escape," Enjolras commented from beside her. Perhaps she did.

"I don't much care to be cooped up in a carriage all day," she said as she rocked with the uneven movements of the carriage.

"Understandable; I don't like it either," Enjolras said. He started to grab Eponine's hand, but then refrained from the action as though he were too shy.

There had never been a more peculiar couple. The bourgeoisie and the gamine. The gentleman and the street rat. Enjolras was awkward around Eponine, and for the first time in his life he wasn't sure how to act. Eponine immensely enjoyed watching him struggle with the new emotion.

Eponine noticed him draw his hand back, so she grabbed onto it firmly and wouldn't let it go.

"I'm happy to be here with you, though," she said leaning on his shoulder.

Enjolras swallowed and blushed; he still wasn't used to the fact that another person _loved _him.

"I'm glad you're here," Enjolras said contently, as he smiled down on her.

"I wouldn't be anywhere else." Eponine craned her neck slightly so she could capture Enjolras' intense gaze. She could feel her heartbeat quicken, and she licked her lips. She noticed Enjolras watch the action.

"Can I kiss you?" Enjolras breathed against her face. Eponine smiled at his innocence and gently rested her hand on his cheek.

"You needn't ask," she said before slowly drawing her lips upon his. She smiled into the kiss, and suddenly she didn't feel so trapped in the carriage anymore. She had never felt freer. The sudden movement of the carriage against the rocky road began to seem soothing and gentle.

She could tell Enjolras was tentative and stiff, but he slowly began to relax. Eponine brought her fingers to his hair, and felt their curly softness. Enjolras' hands were resting delicately on her face and stroked her cheeks.

Too soon, they had to break away for air.

"I like kissing you," Enjolras whispered into Eponine's hair, his eyes still closed as he savored the moment.

"I like kissing you too," Eponine admitted as she traced a small pattern on Enjolras' shoulder.

The two fell into a compatible silence as they were wrapped in each other's arms.

"What do you think Clara and Grantaire are doing right now?" Eponine asked curiously after a while.

"I think a better question would be: what aren't they doing?" Enjolras said somewhat sadly. The idea that Clara and Grantaire were in love was disturbing to him.

"With Grantaire, anything goes," Eponine chuckled.

"My aunt and uncle are destined to disagree with him," Enjolras groaned into his hands.

Eponine felt like she was drowning in that cursed river again. She knew in her heart that Enjolras' aunt and uncle would probably despise her too.

"They will enjoy his company more than mine," Eponine grumbled, but Enjolras thought otherwise.

"I don't know how many times I will have to tell you that I think Aunt Agnes and Uncle Jacques will love you! Even if they don't get along with you, it will not change how I feel about you," Enjolras assured.

"Still, I would hope we get along," Eponine said.

"I love you, and that is all that matters," Enjolras said honestly as he caressed Eponine's face.

"You love me?" Eponine asked shyly as her eyes widened in wonder.

"Of course Eponine, how could I not? You are my angel who was sent from heaven to guide and save me," Enjolras said kissing her forehead.

"I love you too," was Eponine's reply, spoken in a whisper so light that Enjolras almost didn't hear. But he did hear the words, and he smiled greatly before leaning in to kiss Eponine's full lips once again.

**A/N: Are there any Starkid fans out there? I am a huge fan, and I'm freaking out because A Very Potter Senior Year was released yesterday and it's just so good! AHHH! And also, tomorrow the deluxe Les Mis movie soundtrack is being released! I must get it! It's been a good weekend. Sorry for the shortness of this chapter!**


	22. Welcome to Paradise

**A/N: I was so surprised at how many Starkids there were who read my story! Yay! The funniest part for me was Chris Allen as Moaning Myrtle; I almost had a heart attack I laughed so hard! And 'Joe Walker dies' was so funny too! Ahhh, it was amazing. The end was so sad though, I wasn't ready for it to be over. However, I am so excited for their new musical, Twisted (it's Aladdin with the plot of Wicked… or something…). **

Eponine had been peacefully dreaming though the night, but was jostled awake from her dreams when morning came. Enjolras gently awoke his sleeping lover as the carriage found its way up Aunt Agnes and Uncle Jacques' extensive driveway.

"We're here already?" Eponine asked dejectedly rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, and Enjolras solemnly nodded.

"This trip might be hard for you; honestly, I'm not quite sure what to expect. I haven't seen my aunt and uncle in ages. By the sounds of it, I presume I shall be quite miserable. I hope you are destined to have a more pleasant experience," Enjolras said bitterly.

Eponine peered out the window, and was not ashamed as her jaw flew open. Freshly cut grass was laid out neatly in front of the large, marble mansion that had decorative pillars supporting the front of the house. Stone pathways cut across different areas in the grass, all lead to different places. A grand white marble fountain adorned with a cherub statue stood proudly before the house. Different flowers were neatly organized by color in different sections of the front yard, and the scent was heavenly.

"This is where they live? It looks like a palace fit for a king! I used to dream about merely _seeing _a house as grand as this! No, calling it a house serves it no justice; it's a mansion," Eponine breathed happily, a fraction of her worries momentarily washed away.

Enjolras cast her a bittersweet smile, sad because he knew of the horrible past that Eponine once suffered through, but happy for it lifted his heart to see Eponine smile.

"I'm glad you like the house; after all you shall be staying here for a brief stint," Enjolras said as the carriage pulled to a stop.

Eponine regarded Enjolras fully. It had never processed in her mind that he had come from such a wealthy background; he always seemed better off than most, but Eponine had never realized _how much _better off he had been.

"This was the house I grew up in," Enjolras said without warmness in his voice that one normally uses when they speak of home.

"Well, home is home," Eponine shrugged.

"This is not home; it's just a house. An empty house full of bad memories," Enjolras spat. Eponine looked at him sadly.

"I know what that feels like. Not that I ever had much of a house myself, but there was a time when we had the inn, and that was our house. It was never home to me, just a place to sleep," Eponine recalled with a sour taste in her mouth. "Enjolras, what is home to you?"

The simple question took Enjolras far longer to answer than it should have, but when he provided his answer, Eponine couldn't stop her heart from speeding up.

"Home is where the heart is, and my heart lies with you. Whether we are braving the streets, or stuck in my flat. When I am with you, I am home," Enjolras said sincerely as he embraced Eponine.

"How did I get so lucky? I still cannot believe that someone like you can love me. Our relationship is highly scandalous and risky, the poor and the rich? We do not mix! Yet somehow, nothing has ever seemed more right," Eponine sighed.

"You know status matters not to me. It doesn't matter what a person is born, but what they grow up to be is all that matters. Eponine, you have grown up to be a strong and wise young lady," Enjolras said.

Eponine was about to reply when the driver opened the door for the couple.

"Monsieur, mademoiselle," he said with a slight bow. Eponine snapped her attention away from Enjolras and nervously looked outside. The driver offered Eponine a hand to help her out of the carriage, but she scoffed and leapt out on her own. She didn't like people taking care of her. Well, she didn't mind it as much when the person was Enjolras…

Enjolras followed her out of the carriage, but it took a second for his eyes to adjust to the harsh sunlight that spilled from over the top of the mansion. When he was able to view the house in its entirety, memories from a dark childhood plagued his mind like a storm cloud infects the sky.

Enjolras turned to look at Eponine to see if the fear was evident on her face, but she was devoid of emotions. She must have noticed him searching her for she turned to him and spoke:

"I'm not afraid. Not when you are here beside me," she said with certain softness in her tone.

"Thank you for coming with me, Eponine. I wouldn't do this without you," he replied with an equal gentleness.

"I would never be anywhere else."

The two intertwined fingers and together they stood, facing the marble prison, ready to take on the world together.

**A/N: The next chapter will be an introduction to the family. Also, there was a little Dumbledore wisdom in one of the lines if anybody caught that.**


	23. A House is not a Home

**A/N: Yup, Enjolras had Dumbledore's wisdom when he was talking about how it didn't matter what a person was born… I changed the quote a little but the point still serves **** Woo Harry Potter fans! Also, Albaric means blond ruler… I'm not even sorry.**

"Albaric!" said a petite woman as she burst through the dark wooden front door with gold handles and intricate carvings. She had graying hair that was pulled back in a taut bun, and her age was apparent from the wrinkles that were etched into her face. As she neared, however, Eponine noticed that the woman, whom she assumed was Aunt Agnes, possessed smile lines around her eyes that gave her a disarming presence.

"Who's Albaric?" Eponine whispered out of the corner of her mouth into Enjolras' ear.

"Me. I forgot to tell you my real name; try to refer to me as Albaric for the remainder of the week, it's considered proper," Enjolras reply in an undertone.

The woman pulled up her plum gown and advanced towards Eponine and Enjolras. Enjolras squeezed Eponine's hand tightly.

"Aunt Agnes," he said through gritted teeth, yet his tone was as polite as ever.

"My nephew!" she said kissing Enjolras' cheeks, and he mirrored her actions. "And who is this?" she asked as she turned to Eponine.

Enjolras began to introduce her, but Eponine cut him off. She was perfectly capable of introducing herself! She wasn't a mute!

"My name is Eponine Therrian," Eponine said with a practiced curtsy. Aunt Agnes leaned forward to kiss Eponine's cheeks, and the simple action threw Eponine off guard. Eponine assumed it would be proper to kiss her cheeks in return…

"My, I never could imagine a day when our Albaric would bring home a lady. Last time I saw you, years ago, you had sworn off women forever! I suppose that's changed now," Aunt Agnes chuckled.

Eponine couldn't help the small smile that spread on her face. She could imagine a young Enjolras who thought of women as 'disgusting.'

"Aunt Agnes," Enjolras said in a pained voice, but Eponine could tell he thought it amusing.

Just at that moment, Clara and Grantaire walked out of their carriage, looking slightly disheveled, and approached the trio.

"Hello Aunt Agnes! I brought Albaric! I'm so glad he came," Clara gushed brightly, smiling at her brother.

"I am glad he's here; I know Jacques wanted to see him," Aunt Agnes said.

Eponine regarded Agnes and decided that she was a kind, old woman. She didn't believe that Aunt Agnes was capable of blackmailing Enjolras like she did. Maybe she didn't; maybe it had been the uncle who was so devious and cruel.

At the mention of Uncle Jacques, both Clara and Enjolras paled instantaneously.

"Must I speak to him?" Enjolras whined, not unlike a small child.

Aunt Agnes nodded gravely. "He doesn't seem to be too happy," she said.

"Well, if it must be done…" Enjolras said reluctantly. "It can be done later."

Aunt Agnes' eyes trailed off into the sky for a moment before returning her kind, brown eyes back unto Eponine and Enjolras.

"Albaric, why don't you show Eponine to her room? She shall reside in the room the sits immediately to the right of your old room. Clara, you shall stay in your room, and I can find another room for this young man. Grantaire, am I correct?" Aunt Agnes asked.

"That is my name, madam," Grantaire said before kissing Aunt Agnes' gloved hand.

Enjolras went to fetch Eponine's clothing chest, but she refused.

"I am capable of carrying my own things!" Eponine insisted firmly. She did not want to be pampered or treated differently because she was a woman. She was just as capable of taking care of herself as any other man!

"I know you are, love, but it would hardly look good in front of my aunt. She appreciates good chivalry," Enjolras winked as they walked inside the grand house, but Eponine was slightly resentful.

Eponine lost some of her anger as she observed the home. As the entered, the pair past by another stone fountain made out of marble with silky water pouring through the babe's mouth who sat at the top. A marble house for a marble man. How fitting.

As Enjolras lead Eponine through the corridors, she managed to get a peek into some of the lavish rooms. The first room she saw was a dining room with high ceilings, an organ, and a table large enough to seat at least 30 people. The walls were furnished with various animal heads and the family crest hung proudly on the far wall.

The next room Eponine saw that piqued her interest was the library. The walls were covered in a red, patterned silk, and the ceiling had a mural painted stunningly on it that made the room appear to be open to the heavens. The best part of the room however was not the cozy chairs that circled the fireplace, nor the black marble fireplace, nor the spiral staircase that led to a second row of books. The _books _were the most memorable part of the room. There had to be thousands of books lining every wall in the room; one would have to spend years in that room if they wished to read every single one. Eponine had never been a keen reader, yet this room beckoned her near.

"That was my favorite room too," Enjolras commented, even though Eponine hadn't said anything.

"Have you read any of the books in there?" Eponine asked in wonderment, and Enjolras chuckled bitterly.

"I spent most of my childhood in that room, reading. The only happy part of my past life," Enjolras said as they continued walking on.

They passed many more spectacular rooms, but none were as amazing as the library. Eponine enjoyed walking through a hall that was lined with tapestries, and she spent a minute studying each one. She also enjoyed peering into the entertainment room that was complete with a piano and several lounge chairs.

"Do you play the piano, Enjolras?" Eponine asked curiously.

"I used to, but I suppose I still remember how…" Enjolras shrugged as he glanced at the grand piano.

"Could you teach me how to play?" Eponine asked hopefully. Enjolras wanted to say no for he associated the piano with bad memories, but the excited look on her face made him say 'of course.' He could make new memories.

Finally, after a couple minutes of walking, Enjolras stopped in front of two simple doors. He pushed open the first one, introducing it to Eponine as his own room.

"This was where I slept as a child," Enjolras said as Eponine observed the room. There was a dark canopy bed with red bed sheets (of course) and creamy pillows that stood in the center of the room. A mahogany desk was placed in the corner with several papers cluttering the top. The room smelled faintly of Enjolras.

"This looks nearly identical to your room back at the flat," Eponine observed. The room looked simple, but she was sure that everything in it was of the finest quality.

"I know that, but technically you are not supposed to have the knowledge of what my room looks like at home. Do not let my aunt or uncle know that you sleep in my room with me at night; they would think it highly improper. Perhaps it is improper, but I hardly care," Enjolras shrugged before carefully shutting the door.

"This is your room," he said opening the door on the right. Eponine wanted to gag at the highly feminine décor. The walls were a soft yellow, with purple accents. The ceiling was in the shape of an oval, and it was predominantly white with purple dots that outline the oval. The bed was a canopy bed similar to Enjolras,' but it had rich, violet sheets with white and yellows pillows. There was a wooden wardrobe in the corner that was detailed with etchings of flower petals, and a purple lounge chair in the center of the room atop a luxurious rug.

"I prefer your room," Eponine pouted as Enjolras placed her clothing chest next to the wardrobe. She was not afraid of speaking her mind.

"I prefer my room as well," Enjolras laughed as though to say 'what are you going to do about it.' Eponine scowled.

"I _suppose _I can live with this for a week or two… There is a strong perfume scent in here, however, and it is nauseating," Eponine whined. Enjolras agreed.

"You will live," Enjolras teased as he walked over to Eponine. "I suppose I should go speak with my uncle now; I want to get talking to him over with. He was never fond of me," he spat.

"I shall go with you," Eponine said bravely, but Enjolras refused.

"I need to speak with my uncle in privacy first, but then I will acquaint the two of you over dinner. Please wait here until I return," Enjolras urged before leaving the room.

Eponine smirked after him. She was Eponine Thenardier, and she did not follow orders.

**A/N: Enjolras will be rallying the people after the next chapter! Get excited! The next chapter is just dinner. Also, I loosely based the house after the Biltmore House if anyone has ever been to that! It's smaller than the Biltmore is, but the rooms inspired some of the rooms in this house. **


	24. Introductions

**A/N: OMG I (almost) HAVE 100 REVIEWS! This is my first fanfiction and I was expecting like 20 reviews or something… So I'm excited. WOO! And also, Les Mis comes out on Friday and I don't know if I can handle my excitement! Ahhh!**

Eponine left her room precisely one minute after Enjolras had gone. The library immediately sprang into her mind, and she decided that it would be a good place to go explore first. Wracking her brains, she tried to recall the path she would have to take to reach the library. Looking at her feet, she marched onwards in the correct direction.

She turned left, but when she looked up she didn't recognize the halls around her, and she felt as though they were suffocating her. Panicking slightly, she ran back in the opposite direction, and was faced with a long staircase. Was that there before?

Curiously, she advanced the staircase despite the fact she knew it was the wrong way. Every now and then, Eponine would spy a maid bustling about. At the top of the stairs, she decided to turn left. As she kept walking, the halls narrowed, and Eponine's heart started pounding in her chest. She was completely lost.

She should have listened to Enjolras.

Panicking she started to walk backwards before spinning around quickly. Yet the action was cut short when she ran into a tall man with a white wig and fancy attire. The man's eyes were small and beady, and they seemed to be piercing straight through Eponine.

"I beg your pardon, monsieur," Eponine apologized as her heart sunk through the floor. She remembered that she did not look like a street rat and would not be treated as one, and that comforted her and gave her false confidence.

"What the _hell _are you doing here?! You let _you _come here! This corridor is off limits!" the man barked in Eponine's face, yet she managed to hold her composure.

She was Eponine Thenardier, and she was not afraid.

"I was lost, _monsieur_," Eponine spat 'monsieur' with a certain venom that hadn't been in her voice the first time she spoke.

"I don't bloody care if you were lost! You should know your place, girl!" the man spat furiously.

"It's not my fault that I was merely lost! Enj- Albaric nor Clara _nor _Madame Agnes warned me about _anything _that was off limits!" Eponine shouted, and the man sniffed.

"You came with Albaric," it wasn't a question, and Eponine wasn't foolish enough to answer.

"I am Jacques Enjolras. My brother was Albaric's father," he said curtly. Eponine was so used to calling Albaric 'Enjolras,' it felt strange to hear another man use that name.

So this was Uncle Jacques. Eponine mentally kicked herself for making such a _wonderful _first impression.

"Nice to meet you, monsieur. Albaric mentioned you. I am known as Eponine Therrian," Eponine said formally. Jacques made no gesture to acknowledge she had spoken.

"Sorry to be frank, monsieur, but when someone is speaking to you, it is polite to respond," Eponine said after a long silence. Jacques' eyes snapped back to the girl.

"You should be quick to hold your tongue, Eponine," he said icily. "Leave. Now. Before I have you removed."

Eponine firmly stood her ground.

"I do not like the way you treat me, monsieur," Eponine said. The 'monsieur' was unnecessary and sarcastic, and Jacques could hear it in her voice.

"Albaric would be shamed if he heard how you spoke to his old uncle in such a way," Jacques shouted, and in that moment, Enjolras conveniently stumbled upon the scene.

"Incorrect; I am terribly ashamed of how my uncle is treating the woman whom I love! I was trying to find you so we could have our discussion, but this house is so enormous that it takes forever to find who you are looking for. I assumed you would be somewhere upstairs and I ran over here immediately when I heard Eponine shouting," Enjolras said as he enclosed Eponine's small hand in his.

"You love _her_?" Jacques said, blatantly taken aback, and Albaric looked horrified.

"Do not treat a mademoiselle in such a way!" Enjolras shouted. Eponine was touched at how Enjolras was defending her, and she tauntingly flashed Jacques the large smirk on her face.

"Wipe that look of your face, it is not becoming," Jacques said, directing the comment to Eponine.

"Uncle!" Enjolras shouted, his nostrils flaring in anger.

"Albaric, come with me, we have much to discuss. I will fetch a maid to escort Eponine back to her room," Jacques said changing the subject.

"I can find my way back," Eponine retorted.

"I will fetch a maid," Jacques said with finality in his voice.

That was how Eponine and Enjolras found themselves looking back longingly at each other as they were dragged away by their respective person; Jacques was leading Enjolras to who knows where, and a plump maid in a black dress with a white apron was literally dragging Eponine back to her room.

"That was real foolish to go and upset Monsieur Enjolras," the maid said, and it took Eponine a moment to realize she meant Jacques.

"It was foolish of him to upset me," Eponine said harshly as the maid slammed Eponine's bedroom door in her face.

**A/N: OOOOOoooooOOOO family feud! Who hates Uncle Jacques? I DO. But Aunt Agnes is very nice **** Okay I know I said this chapter would be the dinner, but for real this time, the next chapter will be the dinner. I just had this idea so I wrote it quickly before the next chapter.**


	25. Be Our Guest

**A/N: Thank you for everyone's wonderful reviews! They always make me so happy! **

Eponine wanted so desperately to leave the confinements of her girly room, but she knew better than to take another 'attempt' at exploring. However, as she poked around her own room, she was so tempted to just go exploring anyways. _No! You don't want to disappoint Enjolras, _one half of her screamed. _Who cares what he thinks? He was the one to drag you here, you shouldn't have to listen to him again, _the other half of her countered.

Eponine begrudgingly decided to listen to the half of her that told her to stay put, though she wasn't happy at all.

Her eyes landed on the small bookshelf in the corner of room that proudly held a small selection of books. _That will have to do,_ Eponine thought sadly. Eponine fingered through the selection and was displeased to see that most of the books were about proper etiquette and the way a woman should hold herself. There were a couple romance novels, and Eponine reluctantly settled on the more interesting looking one of the pair.

She found herself skimming through the first couple chapters, but the book didn't suit her fancy at all. Eponine assumed she had been in the room for at least a hundred years, and when she looked out the window she could see the sunset forming on the horizon.

Eponine watched as deep reds and fiery oranges blazed through the sky, giving it the effect that it was on fire. She was them fill the sky and grow brighter, but when it reached its climax, the colors began to subside immediately. Eponine sighed as the last traces of the beautiful sunset completely vanished from the sky, and all that was left was gray.

It mocked her, in an odd way. The sunset could come and go so fast, yet Eponine was stuck inside for what seemed like an eternity.

Not soon enough, Enjolras burst into room. He didn't even bother to knock, and Eponine could see he was fuming.

"My uncle is the worst man alive," he spat running his hands through his hair as he threw himself across the lounge chair. Eponine motioned for him to elaborate on his declaration.

"First, I was angry with him already for being harsh to you earlier when you first met him in the hall, so the beginning to our 'discussion' wasn't pleasant. At first, we were able to be civil, yet when he started to degrade my revolution, I had had enough! And when he started to talk poorly about you, I left, " Enjolras shouted painfully, and Eponine touched his shoulder gently.

"What did he say?" Eponine asked softly, and Enjolras shook his head furiously.

"He told me that my effort was ridiculously futile, and I would not only end up killing myself, but my friends would die alongside me. He said that we would all die in vain for a country that would never miss us. He said far worse things, but I will not get in to that. And when he was done yelling at me for that, he proceeded to yell at me for falling in love with you! I told him that I couldn't imagine living without you, and he said that I was being ridiculous and acting like a blind child, and…" Enjolras trailed off.

"What else did he say?" Eponine urged, and Enjolras looked at the ground.

"He said to me 'that girl, Eponine, looks far too skinny to be bourgeois, are you sure you did not find an urchin of the streets and try to make her your new charity case?' I denied it harshly, and then I stormed out of the room. I worry about his suspicions," Enjolras said softly.

"Do not worry, what can he do to me? Make me leave? That doesn't sound too bad," Eponine pondered, but Enjolras shook his head.

"He could, and would, do much worse. Eponine, my love, he could have you arrested," Enjolras said gravely, and Eponine gaped.

"That is not fair! How could he arrest me when I have done nothing wrong?" Eponine screeched.

"Calm down, I didn't say he was _going _to arrest you; I merely stated that he would do so in the blink of an eye if felt inclined to do so, which he probably would if he found out you came from the streets," Enjolras sighed rubbing small circles on Eponine's back. Suddenly, Enjolras sprung up as though he remembered something.

"I got sidetracked! I meant to come fetch you for dinner is ready! We will be late!" he exclaimed dragging Eponine back through a series of labyrinthine halls.

"Will your uncle be joining us?" Eponine asked not even bothering to hold back her cringe.

"Unfortunately, yes," Enjolras sighed dejectedly. "But so will my aunt, Clara, and Grantaire. You don't have to speak to him."

Eponine hoped she wouldn't have to converse with him, but she knew it was inevitable.

Enjolras stopped walking when he reached an open room that held a dark table with about a dozen chairs perfectly framing it. The table was neatly set with fancy silverware and a lacy table cloth.

"You're late," Uncle Jacques snapped from his chair. Aunt Agnes sat on his right and Clara on his left. Grantaire was seated across from Clara.

"My sincerest apologies," Enjolras said sharply articulating each consonant.

"I see you brought your skeleton," Jacques said smugly poking fun at Eponine's small size.

"I am aware I am quite skinny, yet I would rather be lean than fat, monsieur. I suggest you lay off the cake," Eponine sat patting her stomach mocking Jacques.

"Eponine! My, dear, you don't seem to hold back, don't you darling?" Aunt Agnes chuckled.

"Uncle, it is not polite to talk to a lady in such a way," Enjolras said pointedly.

"Eponine doesn't seem to be a proper lady," Jacques retorted.

"Uncle! Stop this nonsense! I demand you apologize to Eponine!" Enjolras demanded.

Jacques glared at Enjolras, but apologized to Eponine. She did not respond to his curt apology. Aunt Agnes uncomfortably cleared her throat and tried to rouse a polite conversation.

"So, Albaric, how is Paris nowadays? I haven't been to the city in years," she said taking a small sip of wine out of the delicate glass.

"It's truly disgusting," he said as he wrinkled his nose. Aunt Agnes looked surprised.

"Oh, dear that is unfortunate! What ever could be wrong?" Aunt Agnes said with genuine concern.

"Everybody knows what is wrong with Paris; a storm's coming, and a violent and bloody storm at that. My friend Dmitri was just telling me the other day that his daughter who lives in Paris wrote to him saying that a group of schoolboys are currently planning a revolution of some sort to overthrow the king. Can you imagine? A group of young fools who know nothing of war are trying to go against trained soldiers. How do they expect to win?" Jacques stated coldly. If Enjolras was frightened, he didn't show it. Eponine, on the other hand, paled considerably.

"Perhaps they are trying to send a message to France and-"

"You aren't associated with the group, surely?" Uncle Jacques said cutting off Enjolras.

"Of course not; a revolution would be a distraction from my studies! Yet, I can see where this group is coming from," Enjolras lied easily.

"You have always wanted a change in the government, forgive me for being curious," Jacques said harshly.

"Albaric, do you know who the boys are? Have you heard of this revolution?" Aunt Agnes asked.

"No, I cannot say that I know who is dictating the revolution, but I have heard several others discuss the rebellion," Enjolras said quietly.

"What about you Eponine? Have you heard about the revolution?" Uncle Jacques sneered.

It would have been so easy, too easy really, for Eponine to simply say 'no' or 'I have heard small talk of this revolution but thought nothing of it.' Yet, Eponine couldn't quite bring herself to say so; she couldn't mentally allow herself to give Jacques that satisfaction. Taking a deep breath, she looked Jacques straight in the eyes.

"Better yet, I am a part of this revolution."

**A/N: Ooooo is Eponine gonna get it or what! Or will Enjolras, Clara, and Grantaire defend her and all that great stuff? AHHH I'VE BEEN WATCHING LES MIS NONSTOP SINCE IT CAME OUT ON DVD AND I AM GOING TO GO WATCH IT AGAIN NOW BYE! Oh and when Eponine told Jacques to lay off the cake I thought of Sherlock and Mycroft… Haha…**


	26. Tension in the Air

**A/N: I like to update.**

The words that left Eponine's mouth had the effect of a bomb and caused utter chaos. Enjolras nearly fell of his chair, Clara banged her elbows down noisily into her food, Aunt Agnes stared at Eponine in shock, all while Grantaire was snickering into his lap. However, Uncle Jacques look absolutely livid.

"I knew it! With an attitude like yours, I'm sure those no good boys are influencing you with all their talk degrading the king!" he shouted pointing harshly at Eponine. Enjolras was too much in shock to say anything. He had been praying Eponine wouldn't do anything stupid, and now she has gone and done just that. At least she hasn't revealed that she is a street rat yet.

"The men who I work with know their place! It's against snobs like you who only care about your money, and who are too blind to see that the king is evil!" Eponine shouted while Enjolras sat there stupidly.

"I want you out of my house!" Uncle Jacques bellowed, and Aunt Agnes stepped in.

"That is ridiculous, Jacques. I don't necessarily agree with her, but I will not just send her away for her political beliefs! We are all entitled to our opinions," Agnes said gently.

"I as well have something to confess considering that I did not want to make the journey out here in the first place: I am part of the revolution as well," Grantaire said. "And I am also drunk… a lot…"

"Was that really necessary?" Clara quipped, and Grantaire grinned stupidly.

"Are you siding with them, wife?" Jacques demanded turning to Agnes.

"I don't want to pick sides, love! Can we just accept Eponine and Grantaire even if they believe differently than us?" Agnes asked shutting Jacques up, but not for long.

"I still want Eponine removed from my house," Jacques spat, snapping Enjolras out of his trance.

"I love Eponine and I cannot sit here anymore and listen to the horrible things you say about her! She is a better person than you will ever be; who cares if she supports the revolution? She is only trying to help save the poor from their condemned fate! She helps others as they defy the king to save the world and start a new republic!" Enjolras shouted.

"It seems to me as though you know a lot of this revolution," Jacques sneered, and Enjolras' eyes became stony.

"Indeed I do. I know more about the revolution than any other man or woman for I am their leader; father of the barricades," Enjolras stated proudly. It was Eponine's turn to be surprised.

"You're the leader?! What happened to the polite and educated young man I once knew? How can you support such a cause? Use your wits, boy. You will end up getting yourself killed," Jacques said tersely.

Eponine was about to defend Enjolras, but Grantaire beat her to it. "I have known 'Enjolras' for a while now, and I know that he is a great man who will do anything to defend his country. Do not blame him for speaking out for the urchins who dwell on the street, something must be done about their situation and Enjolras is the only man I know who is brave enough to do anything," Grantaire defended.

"I do not care! 'Tis not right to go against our king," Jacques said bitterly.

"Calm yourself, Jacques! Albaric is old enough to do what he pleases to do. I don't see anything wrong with his revolution," Aunt Agnes said sweetly.

"Everything is wrong with the idea! Long live the king!" Jacques shouted.

"How can you support the king? He is a swine who turns his nose at the truly horrible situation Paris is in and-"

"Can we try not to talk about politics anymore?" Clara begged silencing Enjolras. Eponine and Enjolras glanced nervously at each other, both finding comfort in the one glance.

"How about we discuss what a disappointment Albaric has been to the Enjolras family name instead. He, after all, disgraced his parents so much that they hated him until the day they passed away. Soon, he will be leading innocent people to their deaths, and families will lose their husbands, fathers, and sons. He fell in love with a girl who was clearly not brought up by a wealthy family because I can see-"

"Enough! Insult me, but do not say another word about Enjolras! I love that man! I didn't want to come to Provence in the first place, and I would rather be anywhere else right now than in this dining room. Thank you, Aunt Agnes, you have been absolutely lovely and hospitable since we arrived her earlier today, but Jacques, the only man I have ever met who is more disgusting than you is my father, and that is saying _a lot _for my father is a despicable man who cons people out of their belongings because, you guessed it, I did NOT grow up rich and it would taste a lie to say otherwise!" Eponine shouted throwing down her silver spoon.

Jacques felt deep hatred pump through his veins towards Eponine, but everyone else in the room admired Eponine for standing up to him. Enjolras fell even more in love with Eponine and that frightened him.

Eponine leapt out of her chair and ran straight for her bedroom, leaving Clara to clean up her sleeves that had food smeared on them and Grantaire to return to his wine glass. Jacques sat still in shock and Aunt Agnes tried to continue as though nothing had happened. Enjolras however ran after Eponine so fast that he caught her in a heartbeat.

**A/N: Okay now I am going to go watch Les Mis again **** Oh and also the next chapter will be really fluffy **


	27. So This is Love

**A/N: How did you spend your weekend? I watched Les Mis. And cried. **

Enjolras gently grabbed Eponine's arm when he caught up to her. His heart still fluttered when they touched, and Eponine felt the same way.

"Have you come to yell at me for ruining everything? Your uncle will surely send us away in the morning, and I have turned even more of your family against you," Eponine said stiffly, but Enjolras had never heard her say anything more incorrect.

"Eponine, you don't understand. I am not angry with you! How could I be angry with you? What you said back there was quite brave. It takes a lot of nerve to stand up to my uncle, and I am so proud of you," Enjolras said gently with passion in his eyes.

Eponine studied his face, and she could feel her heart melt. He studied her with such love and respect that she was almost at a loss for words. His stormy eyes had settled into a little fall of rain yet the possessed such intensity that Eponine had never seen before. So this is love.

"What he had been saying to you was horrible, I had to say something," Eponine mumbled, her speaking abilities were failing her.

"You amaze me, Eponine," Enjolras said gently before leaning in and capturing her lips softly.

"I still don't know why you chose me of all the women in this universe to fall in love with," Eponine whispered as though she were telling a secret.

"Eponine, I didn't choose to fall in love with you; I just fell. You are the only woman who I have ever and will ever love. Around Paris, I have noticed countless women trying to flirt or engage in conversation with me, but none caught my eye. Then one day when I was sitting in the café, I turned around and suddenly I saw a gamine talking to Marius. Her hair was matted, her eyes were dark and tired, she was merely skin and bones, yet the smile on her face seemed to stop my world. I was afraid of the power the one glance held over me, and I tried to ignore it. Eponine, I love you more than you know," Enjolras said before kissing her again soundly.

Enjolras inhaled deeply taking in Eponine's sweet scent, and he ran his hands lovingly through her long locks. Eponine melted in Enjolras' strong form with her hands delicately resting on his face.

When they broke apart, Eponine stared at him through doe like eyes.

"I was so afraid to fall in love," she admitted. "All my life, I have been the girl who loves too easily. When I love someone, I don't take it lightly, and I fall hard. When I first knew you, I honestly thought you were annoying and naïve, but yet I also find you fascinating. I could feel myself unwillingly starting to love you, so I tried to ignore it by avoiding you. Soon, I tricked myself into thinking that you meant nothing to me, and it worked for a bit. I knew that you were so devoted to your country, and would never look at me twice. That is why I tried to stay away from you because I didn't want to get hurt again," Eponine said solemnly.

Enjolras cupped her face.

"I will never hurt you, Eponine. I will not betray your love. It seems so strange; I always shied away from love, yet I seemed to have fallen in love with you so fast," Enjolras commented. Eponine buried herself into Enjolras' shoulder, thankful for the warmth that it gave her.

"I have never loved another person like I have loved you, and nobody else has ever returned my love," Eponine said. She was feeling very overwhelmed by everything Enjolras had said to her, yet she refused to tear up. She was strong, and crying was a weakness.

"Surely someone has loved you before, Eponine," Enjolras said as her comfortingly rubbing her back.

Eponine glanced sadly at him. "I informed you of brief experiences I had in my past, but I never did tell you my whole, sad life story. If you would like, I can tell you. I have never told it to anybody before; I have never had anybody to discuss it with."

Enjolras felt touched that she trusted him enough to confide in him such a dark past.

"I would like to hear it, but let's go outside. We don't need any intruders," Enjolras said boldly enveloping her hand in his as they strolled outside. The moonlight hit the top of Eponine's head casting a glow around her entire body, and Enjolras had never seen anything more beautiful in his entire life.

The walked across neatly trimmed grass through the large garden in the back yard past beautiful sculptures, flowers, and fountains to reach the marble bench that was in the heart of the garden.

They sat down upon the cold marble side by side, holding hands, and Eponine cautiously began her tale of woe, starting with early life at her parents' inn. She told Enjolras that when she was a child, her parents treated her so well; spoiling her with clothes, toys, and love. She told him how harshly they treated Cosette, but when she was young a kind man took her away and the Thenardiers began to treat Eponine in the same way they had treated Cosette. She told him how hard it was for her to grow up, doing her father's dirty work. She explained how her childhood was ripped away from her cold hands.

Over the course of her heartfelt story, Enjolras' arms had wrapped around Eponine as though to protect her from any harm.

His grip tightened when she told him how her father would beat her if she didn't do as he told her. It started with merely a slap and grew progressively worse as Eponine grew older.

Eponine was surprised to see a tear slowly glide down Enjolras' face.

"I wish I could have protected you from that life," he said wiping the tear off his face, only to have another one replace it. He raised his hand to wipe it away, but Eponine grabbed his wrist and brought her face up to his and kissed the tear away.

"I should be the one crying," Eponine said softly, and Enjolras chuckled.

"I never realized how horrible your life had been," he said stroking her hair.

"The past is done, and now we must live in the moment and look forward to a new tomorrow. Enjolras, you saved me," Eponine said passionately before capturing his lips with the same passion that she had in her tone.

A cold breeze swept over the garden causing Eponine to shiver.

"I think maybe it is time we go inside; it might be warm during the day, but the nights are still cold," Enjolras said standing up, offering Eponine his hand.

"If your uncle lets us, I would like to stay in Provence for the remainder of the trip. He will not make us return, surely?" Eponine asked as they made their way back inside.

"No, Aunt Agnes wouldn't allow him to send us away," Enjolras said holding the door for Eponine. She let out a big yawn as they entered the manor.

"Come, you need sleep. You have had a long day," Enjolras said.

"I'm not that tired," Eponine mumbled, but a large yawn signaled Enjolras that she really was.

"Goodnight, my love," Enjolras said as they reached their rooms, lightly kissing her on the nose. He spun around and began to enter his room when a pair of small arms spun him around, and the next thing he knew, a soft pair of lips pressed against his.

"Goodnight, Albaric," Eponine said with a large smile before retreating to her own room.

Eponine took of her dress and grabbed a nightgown from the wardrobe, and began to settle into bed. She felt tired, but she couldn't sleep. The past few nights she had grown accustomed to Enjolras' warmth sleeping beside her, and now she felt empty without him.

She carefully slipped out of her bed, and began to tiptoe to the room next door.

**A/N: Once Upon a Time is on tonight and I am sooo excited because August is coming back! **


	28. Bonne Nuit

**A/N: I watched Les Mis 3 times over the course of Friday and Saturday… I'm not even sorry #noregrets **

Eponine padded quietly to the wooden door, but stopped just outside it. Back in Paris, Eponine and Enjolras had always shared the bed together for comfort, warmth, and protection. Here, the idea of sharing the same bed seemed like a much bigger deal than it had been, and walking into his room seemed like a leap of faith to Eponine.

She placed her hand on the cold, brass doorknob and very nearly pushed it open, but lost her courage. _It's just Enjolras, he won't care if you come inside his room, _Eponine thought as she twiddled with her nightgown.

Eponine stood anxiously outside the door for several more moments with her hand still on the doorknob. She still couldn't fathom why she was so nervous, and she convinced herself to open the door.

She shoved it open, hard, but jumped back in surprise when a figure let out a cry and fell downwards. The man grunted as he tried to hoist himself up again.

"Enjolras! I'm so sorry!" Eponine whisper shouted as she tried to help him to his feet.

"It's alright, it's my fault for standing at the door for so long," Enjolras chuckled.

"Why were you standing at the door for 'so long?'" Eponine asked arching her eyebrows, and Enjolras realized his slip up and embarrassedly rubbed his neck.

"Erm… Well I was going to go into your room, but I couldn't decide if it was a good or bad idea; I wanted you to have your personal space and I didn't want to seem too forward," Enjolras mumbled.

"I was standing outside your door for a while; I couldn't sleep without you beside me, yet I didn't know if you wanted me with you or not," Eponine admitted with a slight blush.

"Of course I would want you with me Eponine. If I could have it my way, you would be with me every second of every day. Of course, you would probably get tired of being with me for that long," Enjolras stated as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. Eponine looked up at Enjolras with awe in her brown orbs.

Eponine quietly shut the door and stepped into the room.

"Can I stay with you tonight?" she asked even though the answer was obvious. Enjolras gently pulled her towards his bed and they comfortably climbed into it. Enjolras wrapped his arms around Eponine's little body and she snuggled into him. They fell into a peaceful sleep within a matter of minutes.

Enjolras bolted up straight at the sound of knocking on his door. Sunlight poured through the windows blinding Enjolras momentarily, but he shook the light out of his eyes.

"Albaric? May I come in? We need to discuss some things. I think you shall be pleased to hear that your aunt convinced me to let you stay," Uncle Jacques' voice rang out bitterly.

Enjolras sank back in his bead and groaned loudly. It would look highly dishonorable if Uncle Jacques were to see Eponine in his bed, so he tried to delay his uncle.

"One moment, uncle, I quite literally just woke up," Enjolras shouted back, trying to shake Eponine in the process. "My uncle is at the door! You need to hide! I'll try to get him out of here, but you need to remain hidden," he whispered as Eponine fluttered open her eyes.

"Where can I go?" she whispered back in a panic, and Enjolras pointed underneath the bed.

"Under there?" she mouthed angrily, and Enjolras nodded his head.

"It's the only place!" he mouthed back as Eponine shot him a glare. She lifted up the skirt of the bed and ungratefully crawled underneath the small space. Enjolras looked down to make sure that no traces of Eponine were visible.

"Come in!" he called when he decided that Eponine was well hidden.

Uncle Jacques barged through the door.

"What you said last was nearly unforgivable, how can you believe in such a ridiculous cause? I… Never mind, that is not what I came in here to say. I wanted to let you know that you can stay with us for a couple weeks if you wish to. I know you have classes you must return to, so you shan't stay here for too long. My wife wanted me to apologize for my behavior last night, but I do not think I shall. After all, I meant what I said, I should not have to say sorry," Uncle Jacques said as he sat down on the edge of Enjolras' bed.

Enjolras ignored the last part.

"I will talk to Eponine first, but I think that at the end of two weeks would be a good time for us to return to Paris," Enjolras said.

"You should be lucky that your aunt is so gracious, if it were up to me, I would have you arrested for rebelling against the king," Jacques said harshly. Enjolras also chose to ignore that comment. Jacques stood up and started to walk out of the room, but paused at the threshold.

"Did I smell perfume in here?" he asked rhetorically as he disappeared from sight.

When he was gone, Eponine reemerged from underneath the bed, but her nightgown was covered in dust.

"I hate that man," she spat. She frantically tried to brush all of the unwanted dust off of her before she took her place once more next to Enjolras on the bed.

"I hate him too," Enjolras said before placing a quick kiss on Eponine's lips.

"Today, I'm going to try and rally some of the rich people to join in my crusade; I hope it works," he announced.

Eponine hoped it would work too.

**A/N: I'm excited to write the next chapter! Enjolras is going to be rallying some people… or will he? **


	29. They Will Come When We Call

**A/N: Good luck to Enjolras trying to rally the rich people! Also, has anyone seen or listened to the Les Mis sequence- Forbidden Broadway? Listening to it made me have a heart attack I laughed so hard. Especially to I Dreamed a Show, On My Phone, and Bring It Down. **

Enjolras nervously sat in the bumpy carriage reflecting back to his not quite a week on the streets he spent with Eponine and recalled everything he had seen and heard. He could feel his heart grow heavy when he thought of the torn look on Charlotte's face when her baby had been ripped away from her by death's greedy hands.

Eponine looked up at Enjolras in admiration as she snuggled into his side.

"I have faith in you, Enjolras. You could rally the poor; surely you can rally the rich as well," Eponine said comfortingly.

"I doubt it. The rich are very different than the poor on a moral level. The poor are siding with me because I am fighting _for _them to provide a better life, but the rich… I am fighting _against _them. I want the king gone, and I want a republic government. The rich like the way things are now, and I might have a job convincing them to join me," Enjolras said softly as he gazed lovingly at Eponine.

"You are fighting for what is right! Enjolras, when you speak your passionate words and explain your beliefs to these people, it is not possible for them to _not _join your revolution," Eponine said fiercely.

"I hope your right. The rich are very greedy with their money… The people we are visiting today were my friends before I moved to Paris. I haven't seen them in years, but I know that they are still very rich and hopefully I can move them to help," Enjolras said furrowing his eyebrows. Eponine didn't like to see him so worried.

"I am grateful your uncle let us stay in Provence; though breakfast was awkward this morning," Eponine said changing the subject. Indeed, breakfast had been quite awkward. Uncle Jacques kept dropping not-so-subtle hints that he was suspicious that Eponine had been in Enjolras' room. At least Aunt Agnes was willing to act as though nothing had happened.

"We survived," Enjolras chuckled. They sat in a silence for a few minutes until Enjolras spoke again.

"You look beautiful today, Eponine. That red dress looks absolutely stunning on you; you look like a rose," he said eyeing the red fabric of Eponine's dress. She blushed at his compliment and quickly kissed him. She pulled back quickly, but Enjolras softly pulled her back into a passionate kiss. Her lips were soft beneath is, and Enjolras had never done anything in his life that felt so good.

They finally pulled apart when the carriage eased to a stop in front of a large house. Eponine glanced out the window and her eyes widened. This house was not quite as grand as Enjolras,' but it was spectacular nonetheless.

"You had some nice friends," Eponine commented as she hopped out of the carriage, Enjolras following closely behind her.

"We will see how 'nice' they are in a minute, I suppose," Enjolras said as he walked to the front door.

He shakily raised his hand and knocked on the door thrice using the brass knocker. A young man answered the door and smiled largely as he spotted Enjolras. His smile grew even larger when he saw Eponine.

"Ah, Albaric! It's so nice to see you again mon ami! You arrived just on time, as always. You were never late to anything, I remember. Some of the other boys have arrived, but a couple have yet to show up. Come inside," the man with dark brown hair said as he motioned them inside.

"It is nice to see you again as well, Bertrand," Enjolras said as he stepped inside the mansion.

"Albaric, how rude of you! You haven't introduced your lady friend!" Bertrand exclaimed. Eponine scowled.

"I am perfectly capable of introducing myself, monsieur. My name is Eponine Therrian," Eponine said proudly. Bertrand politely took Eponine's hand and kissed it, and it was Enjolras' turn to scowl.

"So, what is your relation to Albaric? Surely you two are not lovers, if I recall correctly, Albaric had sworn off love and was devoid of emotion," Bertrand chuckled.

"How can you say that Enjolras has no emotion? You should watch him talk, monsieur. He speaks with more emotion and passion than any other man in the whole of France!" Eponine said stiffly.

"You call Albaric 'Enjolras?' That is new, I haven't heard of anyone calling him that before," Bertrand commented.

"My relation to Eponine isn't really the matter at hand. I have some important issues to discuss with you and the others," Enjolras said quickly.

"So you will not hold a grudge against me if I say I am quite taken with Eponine? After all, you never clarified that you do indeed love her," Bertrand said greedily, and Enjolras' face grew hot.

"If it pleases you, I do in fact love Eponine. But that is not what I came here-"

"Albaric is in love! The world must be ending for the empty man has been filled!" Bertrand shouted.

"I told you when I was a boy I never liked it when you referred to me as the empty man!" Enjolras said in an annoyed tone.

"They called you the empty man? I have heard Les Amis refer to you as 'Apollo' and 'statue' and 'man of marble,' but never 'empty man.' That is a good one, I must say," Eponine chuckled, and Enjolras groaned.

"Not you, too! We need to focus on what I have come here to say!" Enjolras said obviously frustrated. Bertrand threw up his hands in mock surrender.

"Alright, come with me and I will show you where the other men are," Bertrand said as he led Enjolras and Eponine to a large room with several different animal heads hung on the walls and chairs strewn across the room. Young men were talking to each other and laughing as they sipped on their fancy wine glasses. The sight of so many rich people in one room sickened Eponine.

The men's attention turned to the pair as they entered the room, Bertrand had gone off to go retrieve the next guest to arrive.

"Albaric!" the men exclaimed as they crowded around him.

He was flooded with a chorus of "How is Paris?" "Did you miss your old friends?" "How long are you staying in Provence?" "What was the important discussion you wanted to have with us?" Enjolras using his influencing power managed to settle everyone down in a heartbeat.

"My friends, Paris would be a better place if we could purge the city, and the entire country for that matter, of its little problem. I have come here to talk to about this problem, and hopefully once you hear what I have to say, you will join me as I create a new tomorrow!" he shouted.

"I will gladly listen to what you have to say, but first, who is this woman you have brought with you?" a man asked. Enjolras rolled his eyes as he noticed all the men were staring at Eponine and clearly admiring her beauty. Enjolras knew better than to try and introduce her, so he let Eponine speak for herself.

"My name is Eponine Therrian. I have come here with En-Albaric today to support him and his revolution. That is what he has come here today to talk to you about: his revolution! Listen to what he has to say because it could change the country," Eponine said proudly as she watched her lover with passion in her eyes.

Of course the boys will be boys, and all they could focus on was the fact that Enjolras had brought such a lovely lady.

"Albaric, do I sense love in the air?" someone catcalled from the back of the room.

"Our empty man has found love at last!"

"Can this be true? We all thought Albaric would die alone!"

Several more comments similar to these rung out, but Eponine had had enough after the first man called out.

"ENOUGH!" she shouted at the same time Enjolras shouted the exact same word. They looked at each other a smile formed on Eponine's lips.

"Enough," Enjolras said, quieter this time. "Yes, I know this might be a big deal for you: Albaric Enjolras has found love at last! Get over it; this is not the time to discuss my personal affairs. I have come here to tell you that a revolution is brewing in the heart of Paris. Soon, barricades will arise to overthrow the king and start a new life for the poor!" he began.

"Overthrow the king? That is ridiculous thinking, Albaric!" Bertrand said as he entered the room with two more men accompanying him.

"It is not ridiculous! I spent a few nights sleeping on the streets and I was amazed at how difficult conditions are out there! Starving children are running about unattended, unloved by their parents. Women are forced to sell themselves because they cannot bring in money any other way! Men who have lost their pride are limping about waiting for the end to come. Babies are dying because they are not receiving proper nutrition," Enjolras said sadly.

"Why would we help the poor? They have never done anything for us," someone said harshly.

"The poor cannot help us when they don't have anything to give. All of you in this room however can offer your services and together we can paint a new France!" Enjolras exclaimed.

"Tell us exactly what you are asking of us," another man demanded.

Enjolras took a deep breath as he explained everything. He started by telling them in great detail everything he had witnessed on the streets and how terrible it was. Many of the men in the room were listening and watching with great interest, but others looked simply bored and insulted. Then, Enjolras explained his ideal government and how the colors of the world were changing. He told them his plan for the barricades, and he informed the men exactly how they could be of help to him by using their money for supplies and having them fight alongside him.

"We could die for this cause," a man snapped. "I do not want to die."

"Forget the whole 'death is a possibility' part, I wouldn't dare go near a street rat, much less talk to one of them!" Bertrand exclaimed. Enjolras glared at him harshly and Eponine finally spoke up.

"That is quite interesting, actually, that you say you will not associate with a street rat. However, I suppose you failed to notice that I am a 'street rat,' as you put it. That is correct; I grew up on the streets as a poor girl whose parents didn't care if she were to live or die. In fact, not too long ago, my own father tried to kill me. I am a gamine, yet you didn't seem to care when you told me you were 'quite taken with me.' The only difference between me and the other street rats is that Enjolras loves me, and I am wearing a clean dress," Eponine said hotly leaving all the men in the room speechless.

Enjolras fell even more in love with her; Eponine never failed to surprise him.

"This is true; Eponine did grow up on the streets. In fact, listen to Eponine, all of you! She is the bravest woman I know, and despite the fact that she has suffered much during her life she always finds a way to smile. Let Eponine tell you the true plights of the streets, for she can capture it better than I can," Enjolras said passionately. "Can you tell them what you know?" he whispered to her quickly just to make sure she was okay with this plan.

"I will tell what I know. I will do anything to help you," Eponine said shakily as she turned to face the group of men.

"If you want to know exactly how out of control France has gotten, heed the story I come to tell you…"

**A/N: Will Eponine be able to change their minds? And oh snap she stood up to Bertrand! I don't like Bertrand… These rich men are very different than the poor ones than Enjolras and Eponine had befriended!**


	30. Yesterday

**A/N: I briefly planned out in my head what I what to happen in the story… my gosh there is still so much left to write! Bertrand is a horrible person. **

By the time Eponine had finished speaking about her woeful life and the miserable life of those on the streets, some of the men had shed tears. Enjolras had even been moved by her words despite the fact that he had already heard her story. Today she had shortened it a bit leaving out some of the more private details, but she still painted the sadness that was present in her life.

"It is so hard to hear that you had to grow up in such poor conditions," said a man with a tear in his eye.

"I am still in shock that Albaric has found love in a street rat! How can you kiss her filthy face, my friend? Does she not disgust you?" Bertrand asked. Enjolras marched up to him and slapped him across the face with all his might.

"Never talk about Eponine in such harsh tones in front of me! I love that woman, and I do not need your approval! I cannot believe I was foolish enough to think that you, you shallow monstrous man, could ever help someone other than yourself! I told you all I had to say, but I can see that I have not swayed your opinions! Good day to you all," Enjolras said as he glared at the entire room.

"I think it is all time we cleared out of here," Bertrand said rubbing his face where Enjolras slapped him. The men dispersed from the room whispering among themselves. Enjolras and Eponine stormed out of the house.

"Not one of them was affected by what we said! They are so stupid that I-" Enjolras stopped his rant when he noticed a man had followed them outside.

"Who are you?" Enjolras said somewhat coldly. The man was short and lean with dark blonde hair and a magnificent display of freckles. His warm brown eyes were disarming, and he looked slightly younger than the rest of the men.

"My name is Colin. I am the brother of Hugh Mangold; he is one of Bertrand's close friends," he said.

"Ah, I remember Hugh. I did not like him," Enjolras spat.

"My brother is quite a pest," Colin admitted. "I came out here to say this: I support your cause. I was quite intrigued with what you had to say about the barricades and the revolution and overthrowing the king. I have always despised the king and his obsession with money and power. I could try to convince the rest of the men in there to join in your crusade, but then I shall also spread the news to my friends at school who disagree with the king as well."

"You would do that?" Eponine asked with delight in her tone. Colin nodded.

"When you spoke of your life story, the horridness teeming with it angered me. I was very touched that Albaric helped save you, and the love between you two is obvious. You depend on each other more than you realize, I think," Colin said wisely. "You both fight for love, and that is much better than fighting out of hate. Love always prevails."

Eponine and Enjolras both kindly thanked Colin as they climbed in the carriage and started the journey back to the Enjolras Manor.

Upon their arrival, Eponine and Enjolras immediately retreated to their special place in the garden where they had sat the previous night.

"That was a waste of time," Enjolras grumbled, but Eponine voiced her disagreement.

"We gained Colin's support! He _will _be able to help us, and he _will _convince his friends to join in the fight! Can you not already see the new world forming on the horizon? I admit I was skeptical about your idea at first, but you have dedicated so much of your time and energy, your plan seems to be so strong that a thousand men couldn't break it!" Eponine exclaimed.

"What about several thousand men?" Enjolras asked casting his eyes downward. Eponine looked at him incredulously.

"Do you doubt yourself, Albaric Enjolras?" Eponine demanded and Enjolras averted his eyes.

"I suppose every leader has his doubts now and then," Enjolras said more to himself than to Eponine.

Eponine was worried he would began to lose faith, so she passionately captured his lips in a loving kiss.

But, Enjorlas pulled back after a couple minutes.

"Eponine, I am new to all this. I am new to love. I am not good with my emotions; I do not know what I am doing," Enjolras admitted and Eponine looked at him in confusion.

"I can show you," Eponine said trying to kiss him again, but Enjolras pulled back.

"You deserve more than I offer; you deserve the kind of love that Marius bestows upon Cosette. He will always be there for her, but I am not sure I can always be there for you," Enjolras admitted. Eponine looked up at him sadly.

"You do not mean that, surely? I thought you love me the way I love you," Eponine said desperately.

"I do love you Eponine. I fear that I will die at the barricades, however, and I am trying to tell you that you should find a man who will be by your side throughout your entire life," Enjolras said.

"But I only want you, why can you not understand? I know that your first priority is the revolution, but I am quite alright with being your second priority," Eponine said through her breaking heart.

"Eponine, you are my new first priority. It's just… I want you to be happy," Enjolras told her as he stared into her chocolate eyes.

"I am happy with you!" Eponine shouted and she could feel her heart tear even more.

"Eponine, we may only have a couple months left together! The parting blow will not be as painful if you have gotten over me when I die!" Enjolras argued.

"Do not say that you are going to die! Have faith in your efforts! If an unsure leader is the father of the revolution it will be condemned to fail before it has started. Enjolras, I love you, and I will never go away. Be strong, my love," Eponine said. Enjolras noticed the tears in her eyes and he felt truly terrible for making her cry. He pulled her close and held onto her as though his life depended on her, and it did in a way.

"You are right, Eponine. If we only have a couple months left together, we shall make the most of the remaining time we have," he whispered into her forehead before placing a gentle kiss there, then another one on her nose, and finally another one on her mouth.

"I will never doubt you again," he whispered before capturing her lips in a powerful kiss. It was the kind of kiss that melted Eponine's brains and made her heart beat at an irregular pace.

"You will survive the barricades, and I will come to fight with you," Eponine said firmly. Enjolras began to protest, but he knew that Eponine would always get her way.

"If you insist, you shall come with me to the barricades. But be careful when you come, I could not bear to lose you," Enjolras said.

"I'll be careful," she promised before returning her lips to his.

**A/N: I really want Marius to come into the story, but I have no idea how to bring him to Provence! Also, the next chapter will have some Clara and Grantaire action! Yay it's so fun writing those two.**


	31. Clara and Grantaire

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed my story! I have so many wonderful reviews; I am still amazed that I somehow managed to get over 100! **

Dinner that evening was quite pleasant. Uncle Jacques did not even bother to show up; instead he chose to eat his dinner in a separate room. Not that Eponine or Enjolras were complaining. Aunt Agnes' cheery attitude toward Eponine did not seem to waver after Eponine had released the news of her involvement in the revolution, and Clara and Grantaire were as entertaining as ever with their strange relationship. Everything was going well until the couple revealed their shocking news, Eponine nearly choked on her food and Enjolras' spewed out his sip of wine all over the tablecloth.

"I would like to make an announcement! Grantaire and I are engaged!" Clara shouted, beaming at Grantaire, as she held up her hand possessing a giant ring. Chaos ensued, of course.

"What?! You two seem to have such a versatile relationship, how can you make such a solid commitment? Clara are you sure this is what you want? I know you have always dreamed of a white, fanciful wedding, but are you ready for what comes after the ceremony is over?" Enjolras stressed. Eponine seemed to have a different opinion.

"Congratulations my friends! Clara I am immensely happy for you, and I hope that I can help pick out your wedding dress! My goodness, there is so much preparation that has to be done before the big day! Grantaire, if you ever hurt Clara, I will personally injure you so that-"

"I will never hurt my Clara!" Grantaire interrupted, clearly unwilling to hear what exactly Eponine would do to him.

"I am sure Grantaire will be a lovely new member of our family," Aunt Agnes said graciously causing Enjolras to gag. He hadn't realized that Grantaire would be his brother-in-law.

"What's the matter with you, Enjolras?" Eponine asked noticing that his face had turned green and he looked slightly insane.

"Grantaire, you blasted man! You are to be my brother-in-law! I cannot handle that sort of stress in my life! I need a moment to process that," Enjolras murmured into his hands, and Grantaire smirked.

"I could say the same to you," Grantaire retorted. Eponine rolled her eyes at the boys' immature behavior.

"Oh, Clara, your dream is coming true!" Eponine sighed romantically, the girlish side that she possessed as a child was clearly coming out of her tonight. When she was a girl, she always dreamed about growing up and marrying a handsome man who loved her very dearly, and she couldn't help but get excited over her friend's wedding. Though, in the pit of her stomach, she could feel a bit of jealousy brewing.

"Eponine, I would like for you to be my maid of honor. After all, you are the only true friend I have ever had. There are other girls whom I have been acquainted with, yet they have only befriended me for my social status and my wealth. I would not want one of those hags to be my maid of honor," Clara said genuinely, and Eponine gave her a grand smile.

"Of course I will be your maid of honor!" she exclaimed happily.

"Do not call those girls hags, dear. They are your friends!" Aunt Agnes reprimanded slightly, but Clara just rolled her eyes when Aunt Agnes looked away.

"Grantaire. Brother-in-law. Grantaire. Brother-in-law," Enjolras chanted as he massaged his temples. Eponine raised her hand to console him, but she wasn't exactly sure which action would be placating.

"I am highly offended, Enjolras. I thought we were friends!" Grantaire chuckled, but Enjolras just shot him a pained glance.

"I don't understand why you are being so rude, brother. My engagement to Grantaire means that he will move out of your apartment and him and I will buy a new home together. 'Brother-in-law' is merely a label, but you are treating it as though our marriage is a death sentence! I was expecting you to be more excited!" Clara pouted.

"I think he is just in shock, Clara. It will pass," Aunt Agnes assured her. Enjolras was indeed in shock; he still resembled a madman with his imperceptible mutterings and his crazed expression.

"Albaric does have a point, as he said earlier: Clara is this what you really want? I do not doubt the power of love, but this is all so sudden!" Aunt Agnes exclaimed.

"If I may add a word, Madame. I proposed to Clara because I know that no matter how long or hard I searched, I would never find anyone who I would rather spend the rest of my life with. She brings a light unto my life that can never be duplicated, and it mentally causes my pain just to imagine a life without her. I know that our time together has been short, but I have fallen hard and fast. I love everything about Clara. I love the way she smiles with her heart, I love the sound of her laugh, I love the way her eyes shine when she is happy, and I even love our disagreements. I love the way she loves me, and I could never have imagined a better woman for me, personally. I love you, Clara, and my life began the day you said 'yes,'" Grantaire said suddenly sober. The effect of his words cast a solemn silence over the room, and Clara's heart nearly melted as he finished his passionate speech. She had happy tears that leaked out of the corner of her eyes, and she flung herself onto her fiancé. Aunt Agnes clapped jovially and began to communicate words of approval.

The whole time he spoke however, Enjolras couldn't help but think of Eponine. The love he felt for her was reflected in Grantaire's words, and he knew that Eponine was something special. A large rush of emotion clouded his heart for the woman, but yet his heart sunk when he briefly thought he may be gone in a couple months, dead with his revolution. He would have paid more attention to his new realization about Eponine if he hadn't been so preoccupied with his new nightmare that Grantaire would soon be his brother-in-law.

**A/N: Ooooo an engagement! I love Clara and Grantaire **** I was very happy that Jacques wasn't in this chapter; he really annoys me. **


	32. Old Friends

**A/N: Anabelle9 mentioned that Marius should come back, and I thought it was a great idea! I definitely want to have him react to Enjolras and Eponine's new love, and Grantaire's engagement! OH and also I edited the chapter 'Mon Ami…' it really needed to be revised. **

The next morning when Eponine awoke in Enjolras' arms, she felt like she was drowning again. All the time spent in the house and around the many bourgeoisies was suffocating her, just as she had predicted. She needed to escape for a day, and it seemed as though they had only just arrived in Provence. Eponine uncomfortably tugged at the fabric of her nightgown, the lace was choking her neck, and she needed desperately to escape from its chains. It may as well have been the chain that prisoners wore around their necks, for it served the same purpose; it was trapping her. All of her new, fancy clothes were. Eponine thought that maybe she could put up with the clothes, but she could not cope with the lack of freedom and sunshine in her life. She missed the way the streets felt underneath her bare feet and the breeze that would consume her and ruffle through her tarnished dress.

Enjolras woke up to watch Eponine throw a fit as she tore at her expensive nightgown. _Women, _he thought to himself.

"Eponine, love, is something wrong?" he asked gently, but knew he said the wrong thing when he earned himself a glare.

"Oh, no, everything's just wonderful," Eponine said sarcastically, yet there was a certain panic that laced her tone. Enjolras watched her for another moment and immediately knew what was wrong.

"Would you like to go outside to the market today? In Provence, there is a fine selection of fresh fruits and vegetables that come from the farmers, and I do not think you would want to miss out on that," Enjolras said cracking a grin. Eponine flung her arms around his neck.

"Oh, thank you Enjolras! I needed to get out of here for a little while! Everything inside this house is strangling me!" Eponine exclaimed still tugging at her dress as though it were on fire, trying to tear the fabric. Enjolras had to stop himself from chuckling at her antics as he softly grasped her wrists.

"We can leave for the market the minute we finish breakfast," Enjolras assured her. Eponine nodded and knew what she had to do. It had become a routine every morning so nobody would catch her in Enjolras' room; it was her job to carefully sneak out and return to her room immediately. She would get into her day dress, and then she would arrive at breakfast at a separate time than Enjolras. So that's what Eponine did.

As she entered her room, she made a beeline for her wardrobe. Slowly, she ruffled through her selection of dresses and decided to wear one of her floral day dresses. She slipped out of her nightgown and put on the dress, but struggled as she tried to fasten all the ties.

"These dresses are so frustrating!" she mumbled to herself. Finally, she managed to get her dress on, and she turned to the full length mirror to examine herself. Eponine felt spoiled; she had never really looked into a true mirror before. Sure she had seen her reflection through shop windows and the river when it was calm, but looking at herself in the mirror was a completely different experience.

She ran her fingers through her hair as she watched it intensely in the mirror. Her locks were clean, and they were regaining the softness that they had lost long ago. Her hair reached her elbows, and Eponine was impressed at its length. However, she had no idea how she was supposed to style her hair, and she knew that Clara would probably end up doing her hair before they left for the market.

Content with herself, Eponine walked at an appropriate speed out of her perfume scented bedroom, and she tried to recall where exactly the dining room was. They had at least five different dining rooms, not only for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but also for when the family had guests or hosted a party. There were probably more dining areas that Eponine did not know about; she had not even seen half of the mansion despite all of her exploring.

Finally, Eponine's ears picked up the sound of light chatter, and she was able to locate the breakfast room. She spotted Enjolras reading at the end of the table as he lightly munched on a croissant, and she smiled at him. He noticed her watching him, and happily returned the smile. Eponine noticed how his entire face lit up, and his eyes came to life. They truly looked like the sea after a storm.

"Good morning, Mademoiselle Eponine," Aunt Agnes said cheerfully. Eponine turned her attention towards her; she had forgotten everyone else in the room the moment she saw Enjolras.

"Good morning, Madame Enjolras," Eponine said, practicing a courtesy that Clara had told her it was 'polite' to do.

"Come sit! We have such a grand selection of food this morning," she said motioning to all of the foods laid out on the table. Eponine had to try not to look too impressed or she might break her cover, but her mouth was definitely watering as she eyed the vast selection of pastries and fruit.

"It looks delectable!" Eponine exclaimed taking her seat next to Enjolras. She placed several different pastries on her plate, and she inhaled the sweet scent.

"How did you sleep, Eponine?" Enjolras asked suppressing a smirk. Thankfully, no one else seemed to notice the look on his face.

"Very well. And you, Albaric?" Eponine replied with a straight face. He replied with 'quite well.'

"I slept just fine, if anybody was wondering," Grantaire added, placing his lips on his wine glass. Enjolras looked at Grantaire skeptically.

"Isn't it a tad early for drinking, Grantaire? It's breakfast time!" Enjolras said adding an eye roll. Grantaire smugly grabbed a chocolate éclair and waved it Enjolras' face.

"There- now its breakfast," he said, and both Enjolras and Clara looked annoyed. Clara had been trying desperately to put an end to Grantaire's excessive drinking habit, but so far all her efforts had been fruitless.

"You are going to drink yourself into your grave," Aunt Agnes frowned.

Thankfully, the rest of the meal went by with scarcely any arguing, and Enjolras managed not to snap at Grantaire… too much. When Eponine and Enjolras had polished off their food, Enjolras announced they were going to venture out to the market.

"Oh, how I love the marketplace! It's so pleasant out there, my friends. Albaric, brother, would you mind if I were to come?" Clara begged. Enjolras gave his consent, and she clapped her hands excitedly.

"What time shall we depart?" Clara asked. Enjolras looked out the window at the cloudless sky; the day was so pretty, and he wanted to leave as soon as possible.

"I think that right now would be a good of time as any," he shrugged. Eponine followed his gaze outside and sighed at the beauty of the day.

"It's so open out here in Provence. In Paris, all the buildings are close together and there are so many people!" Eponine exclaimed. Enjolras chuckled as he examined Eponine's face.

"Eponine, I think you have a little bit of pastry on your mouth," he said lightly pointing to the corner of her mouth. Eponine attempted to wipe it off, but she missed the spot completely.

"Here, let me help you," Enjolras said taking his own napkin and wiping off the food. His hand lingered near her lips longer than necessary, and the two were quickly lost in each other's' eyes. Enjolras let the napkin drop and he placed his hand on her face. Eponine could feel her heart speeding up, and her eyelids felt heavy. They began to lean in when Clara ruined the moment.

"Alright, I think that is enough. Come on Albaric and Eponine, we need to go to the market!" Clara urged as she tugged the disgruntled couple away. This was going to be a long day.

When the trio reached the market, Clara left Enjolras and Eponine for the exquisite flower display.

"Would you like to go with Clara?" Enjolras asked Eponine, but she didn't seem to be paying any attention. Instead, Enjolras noticed that her big, brown orbs were staring intently at something- or rather someone- out in the distance.

"Love, what do you see?" Enjolras asked, and Eponine could hear the worry in his voice. She slowly turned her attention away from whatever had mesmerized her so, and shrugged.

"I thought I saw… Never mind, 'tis highly unlikely he would be in Provence!" Eponine said with a chuckle, but she cast one more glance in the direction she had been looking.

"Who did you see? Or thought you saw?" Enjolras asked, but Eponine didn't reply.

"Let's pick up some more strawberries! Of all the fruit I have eaten, I think strawberries must be my favorite," Eponine said happily as she wandered over to the fruit selection. "Mm, the grapes look appetizing as well."

Another half hour or so passed, and Eponine and Enjolras had purchased a small selection of fruits. Enjolras noticed his sister still examining the flowers, and he made a mental note to come back later and buy some for Eponine. The red roses looked very welcoming.

"I think I would like to take a look at the wine selection I see over yonder; I need to purchase Grantaire and Clara an engagement gift and I am sure that would be appreciated," Enjolras stated. He noticed that Eponine wasn't listening again, and her attention was fixed on something by the fish market. Her eyes were following the movements that someone was making, but it was unclear as of whom she was watching.

"What do you see?" Enjolras asked again. Eponine shook her head.

"Well I'll be damned. I think I see Marius and Cosette," Eponine muttered to herself, but Enjolras didn't quite hear what she said.

"Eponine, I cannot understand what you are saying, and you are being slightly frustrating. I'm going to go off to the wine selection, and I will be back in a minute. You can come with me or stay here, but don't go wandering too far off!" Enjolras said in slight irritation as he marched off to the wine vendor.

Eponine looked back for a moment to see where Enjolras was headed off to, and when she turned back around the man and woman she thought was Marius and Cosette had vanished. Eponine shook her head and thought that maybe she had been imagining things.

She began to head over to the flower section to talk with Clara, when a man grabbed her arm. She bit back a scream, but she was ready to attack who ever had detained her. Unless, of course, the man was Enjolras. But it wasn't. The man had a million freckles splattered across his face, and his hair was short and brown instead of blonde and curly.

"Marius?" Eponine asked in shock. Marius smiled at his friend, and Cosette peered out from behind him.

"Ah, good! I'm glad it's you, 'Ponine. That would have been uncomfortable if the person I had grabbed turned out to be a stranger," Marius said happily. Then, "What are you doing in Provence? All of Les Amis had noticed that you and Enjolras had been missing for quite some time, and we were worried! Is he here too?"

Suddenly, a realization hit Eponine. Marius and Cosette were not aware of Eponine and Enjolras' new relationship! _It's going to be fun to see their reactions, _Eponine thought with a grin.

"Yes, Enjolras is here as well. We have been staying at his aunt and uncle's house. His sister, Clara, informed him in Paris that they wanted to see their nephew again, and he agreed to come. He asked me to accompany him because he did not want to be lonely," Eponine said, purposely leaving out the fact that the two were now in love. She wanted Enjolras to be here when Marius found out. "What brings you two to Provence?"

Cosette and Marius smiled largely at each other before Marius answered. "We are getting married here! I proposed to Cosette back in Paris, and we both thought it would be a good idea to have a small wedding in Provence! We were in the market to select flowers for a bouquet," he explained giddily, and the happy couple looked lovingly at each other.

Eponine congratulated them, but she felt sadness inside her. Everyone seemed to be getting married and engaged, except her and Enjolras. _Why does that even bother you? _Eponine wondered, scolding herself for feeling jealous.

"Ah, look, Enjolras is approaching!" Cosette said tugging on Marius' arm. Eponine turned around to face Enjolras, and gave him a knowing smile.

"Are these the people you were looking at earlier?" Enjolras asked Eponine as he approached with a bottle of wine. Eponine nodded happily.

"I did not say anything for I wasn't exactly sure if I had been correct. But alas, it is Marius and Cosette!" Eponine said happily giving Enjolras a brief kiss. Marius' eyes bugged out of his head at the exchanged, and Cosette began to smile knowingly. Enjolras blushed at his friends' reactions, but Eponine puffed out her chest proudly as she gripped Enjolras' arm.

"Wh-wh-what was _that_?!" Marius exclaimed as he threw his arms up. Eponine could feel her lips tugging upwards in one of her famous smirks. Marius resembled a fish with his mouth; he kept opening and closing it as though he couldn't decide if he should speak anymore or not.

"What was what, monsieur? I did not see anything," Eponine asked cheekily. Enjolras nudged her arm, but instead of giving her his intended stern look, he couldn't help but smile at her. He had to admit that seeing Marius in this state of shock and confusion was one of the funnier things he had seen.

"But you just… Enjolras walked up… When he walked up, you kissed them as though it happens every day!" Marius exclaimed.

"Well, monsieur, that is because it _does _happen every day," Eponine stated as though it were the most obvious thing in this entire world. Marius' jaw dropped even further in surprise-if that was possible.

"You and Enjolras are…" Cosette trailed off not exactly sure what she should ask. "Sorry, it's not my business to pry," she added hastily.

"Well you see-" Eponine was cut off by Clara approaching.

"Albaric, Eponine, who are these two?" Clara asked addressing Enjolras as 'Albaric' for she hadn't recognized Marius and Cosette. Eponine realized that she had been doing a pretty poor job of calling him 'Albaric,' often falling into her habit of calling him Enjolras when they had been around Aunt Agnes. "Wait a bit, I recognize your face! You were in the café with Grantaire. Your name is Marius!"

"Of, course! Clara, was it? You were the one who seemed to be Grantaire's shadow," Marius recalled, and Clara smiled.

"Grantaire and I are engaged!" Clara burst out happily, flashing off her ring. Cosette smiled happily at the sight of the ring, eagerly showing off her own.

"Marius and I are engaged as well! We are to be married in a couple days' time," Cosette said happily. Again, Eponine's mind began to dream a dream where she wore a beautiful white gown and Enjolras wore his finest attire as he waited down the aisle for her. Yet, she doubted this would ever be a reality.

"You're engaged too! That is so romantic; weddings have a certain magic to them that cannot be replicated. A day entirely devoted to a couple's love, binding them together for all eternity," Clara said dreamily as she twisted her ring around her finger. Clara and Cosette began to discuss wedding plans animatedly, but Eponine felt completely left out. She watched the girls as they talked, and felt another twinge in her heart. _Stop it, Eponine! Enjolras loves you, and you do not need a band of metal around your finger to confirm that, _she scolded herself.

Yet she knew marriage meant so much more than metal around her finger.

"W-w-wait! I still need to know what is going on between you two!" Marius shouted yelling at Eponine and Enjolras. Eponine snapped her attention away from the happy fiancés and faced a flustered Marius.

"I love Eponine, Marius, and everything has changed," Enjolras said placing a kiss to Eponine's temple.

"You two are in love? My friend, I am surprised! I never imagined you of all people to fall in love! What happened to the marble man we all knew? Who knew that Eponine would be the street rat to crack the marble," Marius asked. For some odd reason, it frustrated Eponine greatly whenever someone called Enjolras the marble man. He is the most passionate man Eponine has ever crossed, and he cares so greatly about all of his friends.

Enjolras _despised _it when people referred to Eponine as a street rat. It was harsh and belittling. Eponine was the bravest woman that Enjolras had ever met, yet nobody seemed to give her credit for that. Enjolras could feel his temper flare inside of him, and he couldn't control it. Eponine could not control her's either, and they began to speak (more like shout) at the same time.

"Never call her a street rat around me again!" "Enjolras is more human than you will ever be, how can you call him marble?"

They both ranted on for a bit, leaving Marius completely stunned.

"I did not know you had that in you, 'Ponine. However, I have seen you that angry before, Enjolras, and let me just say it is quite terrifying so I would appreciate you settle down, please," Marius whimpered sounding like a scared little boy. The effect Eponine had on him made her feel powerful.

The three people stared at each other in a deadlock, daring one another to move first. Marius looked at the determined Enjolras and Eponine and sighed.

"Alright, I'm sorry. I should not have used those words; I admit the 'street rat' sounded rude. Yet, I do not understand what is so terrible about me calling Enjolras 'marble.' It is something Les Amis and I have always called him, and Enjolras, you have never seemed to mind," Marius said timidly.

"I don't mind, I am used to being called the 'marble man.' Well, I suppose I don't really appreciate the nickname, but I can put up with it. Eponine was the one who opposed it so strongly," Enjolras shrugged.

"It just doesn't seem right to call such a passionate man 'marble' and 'devoid of emotions,'" Eponine said. Enjolras wrapped his arms around Eponine and whispered in her ear, "Ignore the comment, it doesn't really bother me, and I don't want it to bother you."

Eponine placed another tender kiss on Enjolras' lips, and she could feel him smiling into it. Marius awkwardly cleared his throat reminding the couple that there were still other people around.

"My apologies," Eponine said blushing, but she wasn't really sorry at all. Enjolras slid his hands that were on her shoulders down to her hands, and he clasped them firmly.

Hearing about their love had been one thing, but actually witnessing it made Marius feel like someone had kidnapped Enjolras and replaced him with this soft version.

For the third time that day, Eponine suddenly began to look at a figure far off in the distance. This time it wasn't Marius or Cosette for they were standing right beside them, and Enjolras was curious as to whom it was this time.

"Enjolras, I think that is Colin!" Eponine exclaimed tugging on his arm. Enjolras looked over and he could indeed see Colin standing there. Colin must have felt the eyes on him, for he waved to Enjolras and Eponine and he began to walk over to them.

"I wonder if he has managed to get his friends to support the revolution yet…" Enjolras wondered.

**A/N: That was kind of a longer chapter for me… Marius is back! I always thought that Clara and Cosette were similar and they would become fast friends. Poor Eponine is getting left out from the marriage circle…**


	33. Good News, Bad News

**A/N: HAPPY EASTER! Go eat lots of candy now. I did…**

"Enjolras, who is that?" Cosette asked as she too spotted Colin approaching. Colin sported a large grin on his face and a stack of paper in his hand that he was waving about. He was his normal cheerful self, and he seemed to have a bounce in his step.

"That is a boy we were acquainted with briefly the other day; he supports my revolution and he gave his word that he would try and rally some of the rich people who disagreed with my ideas," Enjolras explained, but his answer did not please Marius and Cosette.

"Enjolras, what is wrong with you my friend? You are in the beautiful city of Provence with Eponine, and you are still focused on your bloody revolution? Take your head out of the clouds for a moment and smell the fresh air around you! Are you physically and mentally unable to take a break from planning and rallying?" Marius reprimanded. Enjolras looked quite offended.

"Since our return to Provence, I have only focused on the revolution for part of one day, and that was when I was visiting old friends and trying to muster them for the revolution! Yet, they didn't seem to be swayed at all, and that is why Colin is trying to help us," Enjolras said, but Marius still didn't seem to be pleased with his friend. But this was a big deal for Enjolras, normally it seemed to him that he spent almost every waking second plotting and planning, and now he was taking a bigger break than he ever had before.

"Good day, Colin!" Enjolras said happily as the excited boy approached. Colin nodded at Enjolras and kissed all of the present mademoiselle's hands, just as a true gentleman should do. Cosette and Clara found Colin's boyish charms absolutely adorable, and he blushed as they complimented him.

"I do not believe I have met you before," Colin said referring to Marius, Cosette, and Clara. After brief they finished introducing themselves, Colin began to unfold the paper he had been holding.

"This is absolutely amazing!" Colin exclaimed happily showing Enjolras and Eponine the paper, but it meant nothing to the pair who just stared at it blankly.

"All I see is a page full of scribbles… Are those signatures?" Enjolras asked taking a closer look. Colin nodded his head so quickly and enthusiastically that Eponine was sure that it would fall right off. Suddenly, Enjolras' eyes seemed to widen in realization and he began to count the signatures.

"What? What did I miss?" Eponine asked, still quite confused. Colin took the liberty to explain the situation to her.

"Yesterday, I told my friends that Albaric here had come to visit and he brought word confirming the revolution that we had been so excited about. I repeated his speech to my friends, and I tried to recount the horrors that Eponine had faced. And I told them that most importantly, in the midst of all the hate and fighting that will soon arise, you will find love. The center of this revolution is the love between a gamine and a leader! He loves her so much that he is fighting for a new world for his Eponine to live in happily without fear. And Enjolras does not only fight for his Eponine, but for all the other people like her who suffer day by day on the streets!" Colin said fervently. Eponine thought in that moment, Colin resembled Enjolras greatly. She was still confused as how that related to the signatures, so she motioned for him to continue speaking.

"When I was done speaking, I explained to my friends how they will be able to help, and they said that they would do what it takes to bring about this 'new world.' I wanted it to be official, so I made them take a pledge and then sign their name on the paper here. I made them hold up two fingers and say 'France before pants!'" Colin laughed. Enjolras seemed stunned, but Eponine, Marius, Cosette, and Clara were thrown into a fit of laughter.

"Those signatures represent all the people who took the oath? You have already managed to gain that many supporters in such little time?" Eponine said in awe, all her laughter seemed to reside immediately as she surveyed the paper.

"Maybe I should let Colin be the leader of the revolution," Enjolras chuckled. Colin took that as a great compliment even though Enjolras was joking. It still made him inflate with pride, for Enjolras had immediately become his role model even after knowing him for merely a day.

"Today my friends and I are going to try and talk some sense into the uncooperative men that you used to call your friends. If we can't inspire them, we will move on and try and rally some other people," Colin said loyally.

Colin finally bid goodbye saying that he needed to leave already, and Enjolras took a moment to let what Colin had said sink it. Colin had mentioned yesterday that they were fighting out of love, but Enjolras hadn't really processed that. Was he really fighting out of love? He had never thought of it that way before, in fact he had assumed the opposite: he thought his hatred of the king had been fueling his argument, but he realized that wasn't true anymore. Hate will only take you so far, but love can make a person do the impossible, and Enjolras was indeed a man in love. This new world that he fought for, it was for his Eponine and everyone who had to suffer like her.

"He seemed like a nice fellow," Marius stated after Colin had left. Everyone agreed with him because honestly, it was impossible _not _to love Colin.

"Would you two wish to accompany us for lunch? We are going to the little café just around the corner," Enjolras suggested. Marius and Cosette looked at each and eagerly nodded their heads in a 'yes.'

"We would love to come and join you!" Marius said happily. When everyone began to walk towards the café, he held Enjolras back. "I apologize for what I said earlier about you focusing on the revolution too much. I take it back, especially after Colin said that you were doing it out of love."

Enjolras nodded solemnly as the two joined the girls in their short walk to the café.

It was nighttime before Eponine, Enjolras, and Clara returned to the Enjolras Manor. Smiles were present on all of their lips as they replayed the fun events of the day. After lunch, they had visited a local vineyard where Eponine was surprised to learn that Enjolras was an adept artist. He brought a sketchpad and some paints, and Eponine allowed him to paint her sitting in the vineyard. Marius, Cosette, and Clara attempted to draw as well, but Cosette's painting was the only one that resembled a human.

After they had left the vineyard, they sampled some of the fine wine that Provence had to offer. Eponine wished that Grantaire had been there for that part of the evening, but he probably would have drunk the entire supply.

After the wine tasting, they went out to get a slice of cake to celebrate Cosette and Marius' and Clara's engagement. The cake had tasted absolutely amazing, so they bought another to take home for later.

Eponine had never had a more eventful and fun day in her entire life, and she had certainly never eaten so much delicious food. Eponine secretly wished that it had been just her and Enjolras, but she did enjoy the company of Clara, Cosette, and Marius.

Too soon it had seemed, they had to depart and they were home again. Aunt Agnes greeted them cheerfully, but their hearts all seemed to stop when Jacques made his appearance. His face was absolutely _livid. _

"Come, I shall talk to you three in the parlor. And wife, go send for Grantaire; I would like for him to be there as well," Jacques said angrily. Surprisingly, his anger seemed to be directed at Clara, and he grabbed her wrist as he dragged her to the parlor, Enjolras and Eponine following behind. The two silently exchanged looks of confusion and fear before Jacques roughly shoved Clara into the parlor.

"I always thought that Albaric was the disappointment in this family, but I was absolutely shocked to discover that I am ashamed of you too, Clara!" Jacques spat with hate in his eyes. Clara looked horrified as she tried to think of what had happened to make her uncle so angry.

"I forbid you to marry Grantaire," he said through gritted teeth. His cold eyes were staring so intently at Clara that Eponine thought she might catch on fire. Clara, on the other hand, looked as though she were about to cry. So that was the cause of his anger; a wedding.

"You cannot forbid me to marry him, uncle! I love that man more than anything in this entire world, and you cannot take my world away from me! Grantaire is everything, and I simply will not be able to live without him!" Clara said on the verge of tears. Jacques looked at Clara pitifully.

"Your whining is not very becoming. What happened to the proper lady that you once were? You are not going to be marrying Grantaire; he is a drunk and he is too involved in the revolution. I already have one rebel in my family, and I do not want another one!" Jacques shouted as Grantaire made his appearance.

"What is happening?" he asked in confusion when he saw Clara's tear streaked face. He immediately ran up to her to embrace her as he glared at Jacques.

"Just moments before those three returned to the house, Agnes mentioned something to me about 'wedding plans.' Now, I assumed it was Eponine and Albaric's wedding so I wasn't too pleased. However, I would accept their wedding for I don't care too much about what happens to Albaric and what he chooses do with his life anymore now that I have learned that he is a revolutionist, but when I mentioned this to Agnes she said I had gotten it all wrong. It was Clara and Grantaire who were engaged. Imagine my horror; my precious girl getting married to a drunk rebel. It just won't do," Jacques said icily.

"You're not my father and you do not have the authority to say such things!" Clara shouted angrily through her tears.

That longing was back in Eponine's heart when Jacques had just assumed it was her and Enjolras' wedding. Eponine could feel herself staring sadly at Clara's ring. Eponine knew that it hadn't been too long since she and Enjolras declared their love, but it was true love. Enjolras and herself were the most loyal people that Eponine had ever known, and she knew they would always be there for each other.

"I am going to marry this woman; we do not need your blessing nor your consent," Grantaire spat back with just as much venom in his voice. Clara was sobbing into his arms; she had always been somewhat of a wimp.

"Yes, Clara, I may not be your father, but your father would say the same thing and you know it! I'll bet he is turning in his grave at this moment because of your ridiculous engagement!" Jacques shouted ignoring Grantaire.

"Never put words in my father's mouth. He wasn't the best man to ever exist, granted, and I know Albaric despised him for his greediness, but he _did _believe in true love. And I know for a fact that he would want his daughter to be happy, even if her husband was part of the revolution," Clara cried.

"I do not care what your father would have wanted, he's dead now and _I _don't want you to get married to this man!" Jacques said pointing at Grantaire. Eponine and Enjolras began to feel quite awkward and unnecessary standing there, but they didn't dare move. Jacques smells fear.

"I am going to run away and you will never see me again, uncle. I hate you, and I will be with Grantaire!" Clara sobbed, and Grantaire wrapped his arms around his fiancé even tighter

"F-fine. I see that no matter what I say, you will end up marrying this man. Run away with him, for all I care. But beware; after you two have been married I hope never to see your face again!" Jacques shouted. "You can stay here until Eponine and Albaric leave, but then you must go with them."

Clara let out one last sob before Grantaire led her away from her uncle, shooting him a harsh glare on their way out. Enjolras felt sad for his sister, and he would do everything he could to defend her.

"Uncle that was harsh! Let her marry who she wants without grief," Enjolras shouted at his uncle. Enjolras had known that his uncle was a bad person, but he never thought he would try to force his own niece from marrying who she wants.

"That Grantaire is a bad influence!" Jacques shouted back bellowing his hands like a madman. Enjolras squinted furiously at his uncle in reply.

"I do not know if anyone bothered to tell you, but he is one of my best friends as well as my flat mate. He gets on my nerves sometimes, he can get on everyone nerves, but he is a good man at heart. He knows how to have fun, and I am sure he will be very loyal and dedicated to Clara. He does drink a lot, but ever since Clara has been around I noticed his habit has gotten better! Clara loves him, why can you not?" Enjolras demanded fiercely.

"Just go," Jacques said in a deadly quiet whisper. The whisper in his voice was somehow more terrifying than his shouting, and Enjolras did not want to test his patience.

"Come on, Eponine," Enjolras said quickly grabbing her hand and leading her out of the room. He observed her face and noticed she looked quite sad.

"What's wrong?" Enjolras asked her softly, all the anger in his eyes had been flushed out.

"I just wish that your uncle would approve of all of us. He is the kind of cruel man that makes me sick, and we are stuck in a house with him. Today was a nice distraction though," Eponine said with a smile ghosting her lips. Enjolras looked as though he remembered something, and he took a piece of paper out from the inside of his jacket.

"Here is the painting I drew of you," he said handing it to Eponine. She took the painting in her hands and admired its beauty once more. Eponine had been so in shock the first time she had seen the painting that she hadn't really grasped the details. But now, she could see how much detail Enjolras had put in down to the bugs flying in the air and the dimples on Eponine's cheeks.

"This is truly an exquisite piece of work. If I had any money I would buy it with a thousand francs!" Eponine exclaimed. Enjolras chuckled and squeezed her hand.

"I doubt it would ever be worth that much, but we can keep on dreaming," he laughed as Eponine kept admiring the painting.

Eponine turned over the drawing to see Enjolras had written four words on the back:

_My love, my Patria _

**A/N: Yikes! I think with every chapter I write, I begin to hate Jacques even more than I did. But I really like Colin, and he kind of reminds me of Colin Creevey from Harry Potter, just bigger. **


	34. The Worst News

**A/N: I'M SO SORRY I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN FOREVER! I was busy **** Yay so it's all sunshine and rainbows for Eponine and Enjolras ahahahhahahahah watch out there's a storm coming. Whenever I say there's a storm coming I always think of Silena Kyle saying that to Bruce Wayne… On another note, does anybody happen to know where Aaron Tveit lives? I'm going to New York soon and I. Must. Find. Him. That sounded kind of creepy… **

The rest of the week seemed to fly by. Colin had proved himself to be invaluable to the revolution, and he managed to bring in more and more people daily. He couldn't gain the support of his brother and his brother's friends, but that was just a small percentage when compared to the amount of others he had already brought in.

Enjolras, Eponine, and Colin also tried to have meetings every day so they could best fill in Colin on all the fine details that are key to the whole scheme of things. In no time, Colin seemed to know all of Enjolras' intricate plans like the back of his hand. Eponine and Enjolras would soon have to depart for Paris soon, but before they started to make plans for Colin and everyone who had pledged their support to come to Paris just before the fighting started. Those were the details that the three were currently discussing a little café by a river.

"We will send for you a week before the revolution. I want you to send forth most of the supporters to Paris, but keep a couple in Provence to pass on the word of what is happening there," Enjolras said taking a sip of his black coffee. _Black, a world about to dawn. _

"I shall select a husband or father so I can manage to keep them away from the fighting so they can return to their loved ones," Colin said absentmindedly.

"Colin, do you think that you could come to Paris with us? You don't have to stay long, I just think it would be nice for you to see where the heart of the revolution is. Maybe you could even meet some of the supporters from the streets over there, such as Henri and his friends," Eponine suggested casually taking a small sip of her tea. At her words, Colin's eyes alit with excitement.

"You want me to come to Paris? That would be perfect! Enjolras, do you permit it?" Colin asked with his eyes ablaze. Enjolras looked as though he wanted to protest. He believed that Colin should stay in Provence and continue to rally the people there, but he found himself giving in at the sight of Colin's face.

"Of course I do. You shall stay with us in my flat; we would love to have you," Enjolras said graciously. Eponine wondered when Enjolras said 'us,' he meant her as well. She had assumed that he would send her back to the streets, but maybe he had other intentions. Eponine wasn't a shy person, so she had no problem stating her confusion.

"Can I stay with you too?" Eponine asked boldly. Enjolras looked surprised that she had considered that he wouldn't want her to automatically come home with him. Enjolras suddenly snapped out of his revolutionary mode and stared at her softly as he grasped her hands.

"Eponine, I wouldn't want you to be anywhere else than with me. I love you," Enjolras said stroking her face. He was overcome with a sudden desire, and he reached forward and grabbed her neck, trapping Eponine in a passionate kiss. Eponine was surprised at first; he normally didn't do this sort of thing, and he _never _did it in public. After a moment, she began to reciprocate the kiss, pulling Enjolras deeper in.

Colin didn't know where to look. At first he thought the kiss would surely end in a moment, but he was absolutely wrong. He began to read over some of the notes that Enjolras had written, but he could still tell that Eponine and Enjolras were kissing. He could _hear _it. He tried reading over the notes again briefly before he looked up. He wished he hadn't glanced up seeing as Eponine and Enjolras were _still _going at it, and their passion had only increased.

Colin tried to awkwardly clear his throat, but the couple didn't seem to hear. Colin tried to act casual seeing as they were attracting glares from other people in the café. He tried clearing his throat again, and he leaned his elbow on the table. Unfortunately, his elbow didn't quite make the table, and he went crashing to the floor.

No reaction from the happy couple.

"So Enjolras, these notes are quite in depth. You have some great points in here; I especially like the part…" Colin trailed off when he saw Enjolras was clearly more interested in Eponine's lips than in him. People were starting to really stare, point, and gawk at Eponine and Enjolras' loving and very public displays of affection, and that's when Colin decided to take action. He firmly placed one hand on Enjolras' shoulder and one on Eponine's and physically tried to separate them.

"I don't know if you two have forgotten, but we are in a public eating area!" Colin shouted at them. It was quite a sight, a boy with a furious blush trying to break apart such an intense kiss. It caused some of the people with a good sense of humor in the room to giggle, but others looked on in distaste.

Eponine and Enjolras were finally forced to separate, and they both looked at each with shocked expressions. Enjolras could not believe he had acted so intimately in such a public place. Eponine began to smirk when she realize how flustered Enjolras was.

"You got a little something right there," Colin said pointing to Enjolras' mouth. Eponine's smirk increased as she realized that Colin was referring to the lipstick she had imparted on his lips. Eponine whispered that to him informing him exactly _what _was on his lips, and he quickly began to wipe his mouth with his sleeve.

Colin knew he would never be able to un-see what he just witnessed. On that cheerful note, he decided that he should probably return home and flush his eyes out.

"I'm just going to leave now, I have a… violin lesson," Colin lied hurriedly before he slipped out of the café. Eponine laughed at his terrified expression and lightly shoved Enjolras' arm.

"You scared him away with your fervor and desire," Eponine teased causing Enjolras' already red face to deepen into a brilliant shade of scarlet.

"I do not know what came over me," Enjolras said drumming his fingers against the table. Eponine looked at him thoughtfully for a moment before speaking.

"I didn't mind it at all; in fact I would like it if you were to try it again," Eponine said hopefully staring deeply into Enjolras' eyes. He began to move forward as though he would kiss her again, but Eponine protested. "Not here! I was referring to later when we return to the privacy of the house!"

Enjolras shook his head in confusion. Eponine was making him lose control over his mind, and he couldn't figure out why. "I think we should get going then."

After their drinks were paid for, the couple immediately left for the mansion. The second they were inside, Enjolras resumed the kiss. Unfortunately, they were interrupted _again. _People seemed to constantly intrude on them, and frankly, it was immensely irritating.

"YOU BOY, HOW CAN YOU STAND TO TOUCH THE DIRT THAT YOU ARE CARRESSING?" someone bellowed causing Eponine and Enjolras to jump apart. Enjolras looked furiously at the man who had shouted, and he wasn't even surprised that it was Jacques. He was taken aback when he noticed Bertrand standing just behind him.

"What in the world are you going on about?" Enjolras asked, furious that he interrupted such a sweet moment. Enjolras could still feel his lips tingling where Eponine's had been moments ago.

"That girl is the problem. How can you even stand to look at her?" Jacques asked pointedly averting his eyes from Eponine's glare. She angrily put her hands on her hips at Jacques' harsh words.

"I know that you and I don't quite see eye to eye, but I think you are being a little dramatic," she responded gratingly as she tried to make eye contact with Jacques. He, however, was trying to look anywhere and everywhere other than Eponine.

"She is a street rat, and you still love her," Jacques said with his words tearing a hole through Eponine's façade. Enjolras stood still, completely caught unawares. How had Jacques figured out their little secret? He look disbelievingly between Jacques' stony face to Eponine's aghast expression and landed on Bertrand's smug face. _Bertrand. _The little git must have told Jacques everything! He had heard Eponine's heartfelt confession at the meeting and was most likely trying to get revenge for the way they had treated him.

"I will harm you so horribly that you won't even be able to _dream _of ever walking again," Enjolras warned sinisterly as he advanced toward Bertrand. Enjolras menacingly cracked his knuckles and balled up his fists causing Bertrand's smirk to slowly falter. It was back in an instant when Eponine decided to detain Enjolras by grabbing his arm and pulling him backwards. As much as she would love to see him injure Bertrand, she did not want any more trouble.

Enjolras reluctantly figured it was a good idea to back off for the moment, but Bertrand better watch his back as well as Jacques. Enjolras would give them the old one-two right after he finished off Monsieur Thenardier.

"Do not threaten Bertrand! He is a remarkable chap who is only doing his duty by informing me of the truth! His words are still ringing freshly within my ears, and I fear that I will never forget what he said. I still cannot believe what I know: my own nephew has a close relationship with filth from the streets! He fell in love with a piece of dirt that he found!" Jacques bellowed. Eponine thought he looked bizarre when he yelled; his face turned purple and he possessed a vein that would throb spectacularly. His mouth would not stop moving once it started, and his neck flopped along over the collar of his stiff shirt. Eponine would laugh at him if she didn't have such a heavy sinking feeling in her stomach knowing that he had discovered her true identity. Jacques shouted a few more insults before he seemed to slow his pace down.

"I love Eponine and I could not care less about your opinion! All week we have had to bear your derogatory comments about Eponine, and I am done! I hate you for all the words you have said in your miserable life. We may be related by blood, but we are not family. Eponine is my family, and so are Clara and Grantaire. My friends back in Paris are my brothers, but this stranger before me means nothing to me," Enjolras vociferated as he grabbed Eponine's hand. He needed to something with his own hands before he punched someone. Enjolras couldn't extract a memory of a time that he had been more enraged.

"You shall not speak to me so barbarously in the sanctity of my own home! You do not belong here, rebel, I demand you return to Paris at once!" Jacques said returning the venom in Enjolras' voice.

Upon hearing the raised voices, Aunt Agnes curiously entered the room to see an astringent Jacques and an equally angered Enjolras. Both were staring daggers at each other, and they seemed to be in a deadlock. Eponine stood behind Enjolras as she gripped onto his hand looking utterly ashamed. Bertrand was located a bit to the right of Jacques looking as though Christmas had come early.

"What in the world has happened here? I demand to know what is going on at once!" Aunt Agnes said with more vigor than Enjolras or Eponine had ever heard her speak with.

"My wife, can you believe what has happened? Eponine is not who she has been pretending to be; she has painted us this grand illusion only to let us down. She is not wealthy; she has no money to her name. She is an urchin from the streets, and she has probably been scavenging our house to nick our valuables! The very first time I met her, she was sneaking about in my corridor which is off limits," Jacques explained cruelly. Aunt Agnes did not even look surprised at first; in fact she did not seem to be disgusted by the truth at all. She offered Eponine a sympathetic look, but when she saw Jacques watching her, her attitude shifted entirely.

"Someone needs to take the garbage out. I say that our guests must leave tomorrow in the morning; I do not want associate with scum," Aunt Agnes stated devoid of emotion. Jacques seemed satisfied with his wife so he returned his attention back to Enjolras. Enjolras and Eponine were taken aback at Agnes' sudden change in disposition. They were assured somewhat when she cast them an apologetic look behind Jacques' back. Enjolras wondered if she was afraid of her husband.

"Jacques, leave them be for now. Let me deal with these two, and you can arrange a carriage to take them back come tomorrow," Aunt Agnes said gripping onto Enjolras and Eponine. Jacques seemed to be appeased with his wife's response, so he allowed her to take the two to a separate room to deal with them. Taking a deep sigh, Jacques strode away in the opposite direction that Aunt Agnes was leading the pair.

Once they were out of earshot, a sincerely apologetic looked sprouted onto Aunt Agnes' face. Her entire personality seemed to morph into something else when she was not with Jacques.

"I apologize profusely for how I treated you two back there. Eponine, it does not matter to me in the slightest if you are poor or rich, but it matters the world to my husband. I would have spoken up, but 'tis not proper of a lady to disagree with her husband. Jacques frightens me sometimes, and I do not want to cross him. I'm afraid that it would be best if you left early tomorrow. You can be free and _get out of here!" _Aunt Agnes said in one breath, which was quite an impressive feat.

"Aunt, I am glad that you still manage to stay good inside, but we need to stay in Provence! We managed to rally some of the people, but I just need a few more days to organize everything over here!" Enjolras protested.

"I wish you could stay here, but I have no doubt that my husband will call the coppers on you! Your revolution will be hanged if you overstay your welcome here, and Jacques already wants you gone," Aunt Agnes pleaded. Enjolras looked upset, but he agreed to leave. After all, his aunt did have a point. Jacques would probably have him and Eponine arrested, along with all of the supporters of the revolution that he could track down.

"Come, Eponine, we need to find Colin and tell him our change of plans," Enjolras stated, and the two bolted for the front door.

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed, and favorited my story! **


	35. Time to Go

**A/N: I'm back from New York! It was a lot of fun, but unfortunately I did not see Aaron Tveit. I wasn't really expecting to, but that doesn't mean I wasn't looking for him… I could not find anywhere where he lives **** I saw Newsies and it was phenomenal, but sadly Les Mis was not currently playing on Broadway. OOOOO someone should write an Enjonine Newsies fic… Anyways my trip inspired me to write a Modern NY Enjonine fic that I will start when I finish this one. **

Colin sat expectantly in the carriage with his eyes nervously flickering between Eponine and Enjolras. The pair had been immensely vague as they explained that it was already time to return to Paris, but they both were in a foul mood. It even soured the air and effected Colin's normally chipper mood.

"I understand th-"

"Don't even speak," Enjolras snapped silencing the words on Colin's tongue. Colin looked quite frightened, but he kept his mouth, not even daring to make a sound.

The trio had been riding in silence for what seemed hours. Day was already fading into night, yet only a few terse words had been exchanged during the entire duration of the carriage ride. Eponine and Enjolras' steam had not vanished quite yet, and they looked as though they would attack the next person to look at them. Colin did not want to test that theory.

The moon was so big and yellow in the sky that it did not seem to be night at all, and Colin had to convince himself that the day was ending. He was glad, now, for a reason to be silent. The earlier silence had seemed too forced and stiff, unsaid words were thickening the air in the cabin and suffocating him.

Colin eventually began to drift off into an uneasy sleep, but he woke up immediately when he heard voices quietly discussing something. He kept his eyes shut so Enjolras and Eponine would not see he had woken.

"I would apologize for the way my uncle behaved, but I did not control his actions. I know that you do not want to hear 'sorry.' You hate it when people are sorry for you,'" Enjolras whispered to Eponine taking her hand for the first time since they left. Eponine seemed to instantly soften at the contact.

"I should be the one being sorry for you! After all, you are bound to the man through blood. Family is family, and you can't choose who is in your family," Eponine sighed obviously thinking about her cruel father.

"But what if you can choose your family?" Enjolras muttered so silently that Colin almost couldn't hear it.

"What do you mean, Enjolras?" Eponine asked, and Colin could percept the confusion in her tone. Enjolras cleared his throat nervously, and Colin heard him rustling around to sit on Eponine's side of the bench.

"I am not someone to do reckless things, and this may be the most ridiculous thing I have ever done in my life. But I feel like I have known you for years, and I know that I will never stop loving you. I am not good with emotions and conveying my sentiment, but I want to be better for you. I want to wake up next to you for the rest of my mornings, and your voice is the first thing I want to hear every single day. Some people need love in their life to distract them from the bad, but Eponine, having you in my life creates miracles that I never thought possible, and you destroy the pain in my life. Loving you is the most natural thing I have ever done, and it makes my life a life worth living. And I know I am rambling a bit, so let me get to my point: Eponine, will you marry me? Will you be my family?" Enjolras asked shakily as he drew an old ring wrapped in a purple cloth from his pocket. He looked quite afraid, yet very determined.

Eponine for the first time in her life cried happy tears. She wept as exclaimed 'yes!' and she threw herself upon her fiancé.

Her fiancé.

Eponine covered Enjolras' face in sweet kisses, and Colin wished he was still sleeping. He felt like he was intruding a private moment; this seemed to become a pattern.

"Agnes gave me this ring before we left; she said it was my mother's. She told me that she had never witnessed two people who loved each other more than I love you, and that when I got around to proposing I should take my mother's ring. I was going to ask you after the revolution, but I realize now talking to you I might not get a chance. I want the world to see how much I love and need you, even if we may not be living in a few months," Enjolras said before attacking Eponine's mouth with his own.

He used to be shy when he kissed Eponine, but he had quickly grown more familiar with the action, and he was fearless. He bolding grabbed her waist and beckoned her closer to him, and Colin had already had enough.

He did not want a repeat of what had happened in the café.

"Time to go to bed!" Colin grunted as he revealed to the couple he was quite awake. Eponine blushed as she separated herself from her fiancé, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Good night," she said cheerfully.

"It is a good night indeed," Enjolras responded quietly.

Sleep claimed the three occupants of the carriage swiftly and blessed them with pleasant dreams of a better tomorrow. The rest of trip rolled on smoothly, but Enjolras seemed to still hold a major grudge over his uncle.

After many stops and many roads traveled on, they arrived home to Paris. Eponine flung herself out of the carriage before the men could even stand up, and she began to worship the Paris streets by kissing them and she blessed the sunshine.

"Freedom! Freedom at last!" Eponine cried out. A baffled look from Colin went unnoticed by Eponine.

"She really missed this place," Enjolras said blatantly, and Colin let out a chuckle. Clara and Grantaire were in a black carriage directly behind theirs seeing as Jacques would not allow them to stay another minute more.

"Enjolras, can we go to the café? Then we can take a nice walk around Paris!" Eponine begged. Enjolras grabbed her hand.

"As you wish," he said. "But first, we need to haul our luggage inside."

The second the boys and Eponine had successfully placed the luggage securely inside, Eponine sprinted to the café. Enjolras and Colin were far behind her, but they would catch up soon enough. The second she pushed through the doors, a pile of men swarmed her.

"Eponine? Where have you been? Was Enjolras with you? Clara and Grantaire left as well, and none of us had any idea as to where you disappeared off to! Marius and Cosette left for Provence, but at least they explained their disappearance!" Bahorel shouted from the back of the mob.

"You vanished! We thought you were dead!" Combeferre raged. Eponine had never seen any of them this angry. She had never been the best of friends with any of them, but she had recently become closer to Les Amis.

"I was worried you had caught a disease! You aren't currently sick, are you?" Joly asked stepping back from Eponine, and she rolled her eyes at the worried doctor.

"I am not sick, I was traveling," Eponine said cryptically as she mysteriously floated to a table and sat down. She had piqued the boys' curiosity, and they followed her to her table like a flock of sheep. Eponine smirked triumphantly.

"With who? Where did you even go?" Jehan demanded. Eponine threw her head back and laughed. Eponine felt a smug smile spread onto her face, but her answer was cut off when Enjolras and Colin barged into the café.

"Eponine, I do not know how you have so much endless energy," Enjolras said shaking his head. A loud laugh escaped Eponine's mouth as Les Amis looked at Enjolras in total surprise.

"Where did you bloody go? Is Grantaire with you?" Courfeyrac yelled. The boys immediately rounded on Enjolras. "Who is that with you?"

The questions were endless, and Eponine's laughter was ringing out through the café.

"Eponine and I went to Provence accompanied by my sister and Grantaire. They have returned as well, but I do not know where they have gone off to. This is Colin, a friend we met during our stay. He will be living with me for several days, and then he will return home. Oh, and Clara and Grantaire got engaged, by the way," Enjolras said nonchalantly. Eponine remembered her own engagement ring, and she began to flaunt in front of her hoping one of Les Amis would notice it.

"They got engaged?!" everyone shouted at once. "Grantaire actually chose one girl to spend the rest of his life with? I even expected Enjolras to get engaged before him!"

"Well…" Enjolras began, but his words faded as he noticed Jehan staring at Eponine's hand. His eyes seemed to be bugging out of his head, and some of the Les Amis trained their eyes to see what he was looked at. Some of them gasped, even.

"Eponine, is that an engagement ring?" Prouvaire exclaimed, voicing what they were all thinking. Eponine nodded her head in such an excitement, Enjolras assumed her neck would snap at the ferocity.

"Who are you engaged to? Do _not _tell me it's Enjolras," Bahorel said in a teasing manner, assuming that it was some other man that they had never met before. The smile wiped clean off his face, and everyone else's for that matter, when Eponine uttered one word.

"Yes."

**A/N" It was so pollen-y outside, my mom's car was completely yellow. So of course I wrote: TO THE BARRICADES on the back of it. If you passed a car that said that, you passed my car! Lucky you! Then my brother drew a French flag on his window; he knows what's up. **


	36. You're WHAT?

**A/N: Yay thank you for all your lovely reviews! Haha I see you guys like my car thing… Touché. What does touché even mean? Oh well, here's another chapter! Sometimes I feel like Les Amis can be the biggest fangirls of us all. SEE IF YOU CAN SPOT THE HARRY POTTER REFERENCE! Good luck!**

Eponine smirked knowingly at everyone's shocked faces; they all looked ridiculous, and even Enjolras seemed to have frozen. In the next instant, everyone slowly craned their necks in unison to gawk at Enjolras. Some of Les Amis seemed shocked, and Jehan started to tear up as he got in touch with his romantic side.

"This is a joke, surely you can't be serious?" Bahorel said with a forced light tone as he tried glanced nervously between his leader and the gamine. But he wanted to take back his words when they both gave him the most severe glare that they could muster. Now that Bahorel, and all the other Les Amis for that matter, thought about it, they weren't that surprised at all. From the brief times that they had actually seen Enjolras and Eponine standing together in the café, it was obvious that they cared a lot about each other. Enjolras' marble façade had been slowly cracking, and now they realized it was because of Eponine.

His fiancé.

"This is so beautiful; two lovers who came from vastly different backgrounds found a way to be together through the hardships of society. Nobody saw it coming, yet it happened fast and passionately and the two bec-"

"Shut it, Jehan!" everyone shouted before Jehan could get too far into his romantic rant. Courfeyrac stepped forward looking intensely between the couple.

"I knew it. I knew it! Did I not predict that Eponine and Enjolras would fall in love?" he sighed happily, but was disgruntled when everyone shouted 'NO!'

"You barely knew Eponine, and just a month ago you said Enjolras would never find love!" Prouvaire argued. "_I _was the one who said that Enjolras would find love soon."

"No, I was!"

"Liar! I clearly predicted it when we were meeting here just three weeks ago and I said that he had been looking happier in recent light!"

"You never said that!"

"I was the only one who had ever really met Eponine! I gave her bread and milk one night when it was raining outside and we talked about Enjolras!"

"Oh yeah, Combeferre? You said that Eponine appeared to be overall indifferent towards him! I was the one who noticed that they seemed to have a special connection when they were in the café a week before they left!"

"You weren't even there!"

"I was there! _You _weren't there!'

This argument was like space; it never had an ending. Eponine was about to shoot somebody.

"ENOUGH! I _know _this is surprising news but you are handling it like a babbling, bumbling band of buffoons! Of course you would act like children upon hearing such jovial news!" Eponine exclaimed exasperatedly causing Bahorel to drop Combeferre from his headlock.

"Yes, it is true: Eponine has agreed to marry me. Anybody care to protest?" Enjolras challenge as he gripped Eponine's tiny hand in his. Bahorel stepped forward and raised his hand, but he quickly retreated when Eponine shot him a glare. He backed up so fast that he tripped over a chair and went sprawling on the floor. Joly moved to help him, but Enjolras held up is hand and stopped Joly's actions.

"Leave him there," he said solemnly.

"He could have gotten a concussion! Oh my, what if he's dead?" Joly stressed.

"I'm not dead you butter muffin," Bahorel grunted from the floor, but Joly still seemed worried.

"I know that you all may be surprised, and this is a very enormous matter, but there is a time to celebrate and that is not now. The revolution draws steadily nearer, and we need to be prepared. An unorganized army is destined to be a failure, but with my plans we will be able to defeat our foes before they know what hit them! With the help of Colin, success is inevitable. With Eponine, I have something real to fight for. Now, who's with me?" Enjolras shouted passionately raising his and Eponine's intertwined hand.

At first, the silence in the room was deadly, but then all at once Les Amis jumped up and cheered for their leader.

"They don't have a chance against us!"

"Enjolras is the greatest leader to ever live!"

"I still can't believe Eponine has agreed to marry him!"

Enjolras groaned as he realized that he might have a lot more preparing to do than he initially assumed.

**A/N: Sorry for the shortness of the chapter but I had to do it! I promise the next one will be longer. This chapter made me giggle… **


	37. As Time Goes By

**A/N: I am really excited for Graceland! I don't know if I am gonna watch it, but I might just to see Aaron Tveit. A commercial for it came on yesterday and I FLIPPED OUT!**

Over the next month, all Les Amis, with the exception of Marius, could be found in the Café Musain pouring over notes and plans that Enjolras and Colin had produced. Enjolras and Eponine had grown so attached to Colin, they insisted that he stayed with them until early May, and it was already late April. Unfortunately, Enjolras and Eponine hadn't gotten to visit Henri, Charlotte, or any of their friends on the streets often. Eponine proposed one day that they should bring them bread and water and take Colin with them.

"Do you think Colin could handle that?" Enjolras asked softly as he rubbed Eponine's nightgown clad arm soothingly.

"Of course, he's a tough little guy," she replied. So that's how Enjolras, Eponine, and Colin found themselves walking down to the slums carrying countless loaves of bread and water. Colin kept tugging at his ear which was a nervous habit of his, but he was also looking forward to meeting the people who he was fighting for. The trio's feet were sore from walking, but they pushed forward. They were so close to where they would find Henri when a girl interrupted them.

"Eponine! Is that really you?" the girl said sniffling. The girl had long, blonde, tangled hair that reached her elbows and big brown eyes like a cow. She had sharp features that suit her tiny body and angular face. Her brown orbs looked forlorn as though she had seen tragedies that would break a thousand men, but she also looked youthful as though her life had just begun. She couldn't have been a year younger than Colin. Her brown dress was mangled with rips and tears, and she had dirt that caked her entire body. She sported a brown cap that looked like a man's, and when she walked he nursed a limp. Yet, despite all of her flaws, she was beautiful. Upon seeing the girl, Eponine detached herself from Enjolras' side and threw her arms around the girl enthusiastically.

"Yes, it's me! Marielle, I thought I would never see you again!" Eponine cried out. The two girls tearfully separated themselves and began to talk under their breaths rapidly and worriedly.

"Eponine, who is this?" Enjolras finally asked stepping forth. Eponine wiped her eyes and smacked her forehead.

"Of course, how rude of me! Enjolras, Colin, this is Marielle. Marielle, this is Enjolras and Colin. Enjolras and I are together, and Colin is a friend of ours," Eponine said pointing to each respective man. "Gentleman, Marielle and I used to be thick as thieves, and a couple of thieves we were! We would rob the bourgeoisie together and get our earnings to our families. I always thought of Marielle as a little sister since I never really got to know my own sister, Azelma. One day, Marielle's papa took her away because she hadn't been bringing in enough earnings. He took her down to the docks, and I never thought I would see her again! I protested and fought to bring my friend back, but nobody would hear it."

Marielle began to tear up again as Eponine explained her dark past. Images and memories from the docks ravaged Marielle's head.

"I was too young for that horror," she spat. Enjolras stepped forward to kiss her hand, but Colin cut in front of him. He gently took her hand and placed a tender kiss on her fingers, and he trained his eyes on her kind, brown ones.

"I am pleased to meet you, Mademoiselle Marielle," Colin said with a slight blush dotting his cheeks. Noticing the gesture, Eponine nudged Enjolras with her pointy elbow.

"Please, Monsieur, I am no mademoiselle. Please call me Marielle," she said with an awkward courtesy.

"Then I insist you refer to me as Colin," he replied bowing his head.

"Remind you of someone?" Eponine said before Marielle let out a loud giggle. Enjolras surveyed Colin and Marielle before turning back to Eponine.

"Hmm… You must remind me again?" Enjolras teased before placing a gentle kiss upon his Eponine's lips. Eponine smiled into the kiss as she softly placed her dainty hand on Enjolras' cheek. Colin's voice broke them out of their little moment, reminding them where they were.

"They really love each other," Colin explained to Marielle who was staring wide eyed at the couple.

"My! You do not make haste to show your affections in public! You really have changed, 'Ponine. You normally never showed emotion," she said in awe. "You look so elegant now, as well. You look like that doll that we would always fantasize about stealing in the town square."

"I think you look like a doll, Marielle," Colin said causing his blush to deepen several shades. Marielle suddenly looked quite shy. The two locked eyes and gravitated towards each other, but Colin ended the little 'moment' by clearing his throat. "We were just on our way to drop off this bread and discuss battle plans with their friends," he said pointing his thumb toward Enjolras and Eponine.

"You're planning a battle? That seems so dangerous and reckless! But also _very _courageous," Marielle said smiling sweetly. Colin flexed his muscles and puffed out his chest proudly.

"I am willing to sacrifice myself to help the people in the slums of France! Vive la France!" Colin shouted proudly . Marielle's mouth dropped.

"You fight for the poor? Like me?" she asked animatedly looking between him, Enjolras, and Eponine. The trio nodded with large smiles enhancing their faces.

"You are angels sent from God in heaven! Will it work?" she questioned.

"I surely hope so; we have been planning, plotting, revising, and organizing this for as long as I can remember. If you would like, you can come drop off this bread with us and listen to some of our plans. If you want, you can even come and fight at the barricades," Enjolras offered. Marielle stood up straighter and positively beamed. Nobody had ever treated her like an equal, other than Eponine, and it felt good to be wanted.

"I will pledge my life to this battle and I sincerely hope to make a change in the world," she said breathlessly as though she still couldn't believe someone wanted her help.

"Be careful during the fighting," Colin warned. "I don't want to see you get hurt."

"I'll make sure she will come out unscathed," Eponine assured, and Colin looked relieved. The look did not go unnoticed, and Eponine and Enjolras shared another knowing glance.

"Come, little Marielle, let us go. Did you ever Charlotte? I don't think you would have known Henri because he was still working at the factory back then, but we occasionally brought our earnings to Charlotte; she needed it more than us," Eponine said as the now group of four walked even deeper into the heart of the slums.

"I think I do! She had a kind heart," Marielle recalled. As they walked, Eponine told Marielle tales of her new life with Enjolras, and she explained Enjolras' ideas for the revolution so Marielle could understand better when the men got to talking later.

"Enjolras seems like a god that we would hear about in those Greek tales," Marielle admitted, and Eponine agreed.

"Sometimes I cannot even believe he is real," Eponine said laughing. Marielle nodded her head understandingly.

"Is Colin real?" she whispered innocently looking up at the blonde walking in front of her smiling to herself.

"You fancy him." It wasn't a question.

"Of course, Eponine, how could I not? He seems like an angel… or a hero. Or both," Marielle sighed. "I should not think such thoughts, I am a gutter rat and he is a rich boy. It cannot be." Eponine looked at Marielle with a determined look in her brown eyes.

"Never say that! Enjolras fell in love with me, and I am a street rat too! Sure, you can dress us up and make us play house, but it will never change who we are, yet despite this Enjolras loves me still. And I love him with all my heart," Eponine said dreamily. Marielle looked hopeful at her words.

"Do you think Colin would ever love me?" Marielle asked twiddling with her hat. "Never mind, he doesn't deserve someone like me. He will end up marrying a gorgeous bourgeois woman and have beautiful bourgeois children. It doesn't matter; after all I just met the man."

"Hey, don't think like that! The way Colin looks at you is the way that Enjolras looks at me. I never believed in love at first sight, and I still don't, but if I did, I would say I just witnessed it between you and Colin," Eponine said passionately.

"Thanks, 'Ponine. You always know what to say," Marielle said hopefully, and Eponine put on a mock look of haughtiness.

"Why, my appreciation, if I do say so myself I have quite a way with words, if you…" Eponine's words trailed straight off her mouth and she protectively gripped onto Enjolras.

"It's him," Eponine cried. She buried her face into Enjolras and effectively hid herself from 'him.' Colin and Marielle looked confused. Enjolras, however, apparently say who Eponine was referring to and his face immediately hardened.

"Excuse me, I have a bastard to go murder," he said before marching up to the graying man and slapping him across the face.

"Who is that man?" Colin asked not recognizing the man, but Marielle remembered him.

"That is Eponine's father dearest."

**A/N: I am always surprised how many of you guys reading my story are Starkid fans! There aren't **_**that **_**many of us, and I always freak out when I meet another one! Yeah, I talk about Starkid a lot, but they're just so… just so… supermegafoxyawesomehot! It's nice to talk about it with others **


	38. Rainbow Connection

**A/N: I love writing about people beating up M. Thenardier. He definitely deserves the ol' one two. My chapter titles never have anything to do with the actual chapter, but I really just wanted to call this one Rainbow Connection. I have absolutely no idea why because there is no green frog singing a song about rainbows in this chapter, I promise. But there is a teeny TINY Sherlock reference, and I will be impressed if anyone sees it.**

"Should we break up the fight? Should we aid Enjolras?" Colin asked, but Eponine hushed him looking intently upon the fight.

"Shh, this is quite amusing! Let Enjolras release some of his anger on my father, God knows he deserves a good punch. If Enjolras needs help, we shall assist him, but for now, we should just watch him go for a while," Eponine said swatting Colin away. Marielle smirked as Enjolras placed a particularly painful looking slap swiftly across Thenardier's face causing the man to fall backwards on the ground. Eponine watched on in awe. Enjolras' threats were probably audible throughout Paris seeing how thunderously he was screeching.

"My, my, I would never have guessed Enjolras had it in him," Colin said, wincing when Enjolras kicked Thenardier's side. Eponine's chest swelled with pride as she watched her lover beat up the one man she wanted dead. She had never seen Enjolras so aggressive, and this new side to him was rather dashing, in her opinion.

"Do you want your father dead?" Marielle asked sweetly yet sinisterly in a way that mildly startled Eponine.

"Well, of course I do… Why do you ask?" Eponine began slowly. Her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when Marielle drew forth an enormous knife.

"I can make it happen," she said thrusting her knife around.

"No, I think Enjolras can handle this… Put that blasted thing away before you cut off someone's head! I think you are giving Colin a heart attack flaunting that thing about like it is a prized puppy."

Marielle grumbled as she strapped her knife back up to her leg. It looked so ridiculous to see such a small girl holding such a sharp knife, and Eponine couldn't help but chuckle. Everyone turned their attention back towards the brawling men and it was clear that Thenardier was about to give up. Crimson trickled down his nose and poured out of his split, and he already had bruises blossoming across his face. He was slumped over and begging for Enjolras to stop. Eponine and Marielle were familiar with such gruesome injuries, but Colin was hyperventilating at the sight of blood.

"Get used to it, kid. There will be much more blood spilled at the barricades," Eponine commented as she noticed Colin's rapidly paling face. He nodded at Eponine and shook his head several times trying to revive its color.

"Blood doesn't bother me _at all. _I grew up with the substance, it is like a twisted friend of mine," Marielle shrugged as she tried not to laugh at how pathetic Colin looked.

Enjolras threw punch after kick after slap at old Thenardier, not showing any signs of giving up. Thenardier tried to get in a hit everyone now and then, but Enjolras would swiftly deflect it and attack again. He felt no remorse beating up the con. Bold and determined, Enjolras placed a heavy blow with his elbow into the man's gut before gripping his threadbare shirt and pulling Thenardier's ear up to his lips.

"If I ever hear of you harming my fiancé again in any way, shape, or form, I will see to it that you will not survive the night," he spat shoving Thenardier down.

"Fiancé? You mean to tell me that my 'Ponine has agreed to marry you? You can't have her unless you pay up!" Thenardier demanded with all the strength he had left.

"I would say you are not in any position to try to scam me, after all, if I so desired to, I could take your life with a flick of my wrist," Enjolras said producing a small knife from his pocket. Thenardier just laughed in his face.

"You think I fear death? I don't care what happens with my life, the only thing I care about is money. Love and friendship mean nothing to me without wealth and power," Thenardier clucked. Enjolras placed his foot on Thenardier's stomach and began to press down.

"You. Repulse. Me," Enjolras grimaced before he bashed Thenardier's head on the ground leaving him unconscious. The next thing he knew, Eponine had latched herself onto him in a loving and tight embrace.

"You are my hero," she said softly peppering his face with delicate kisses. Enjolras was slightly taken aback with the action.

"I will always be your hero, Eponine," he said caressing her face. Eponine couldn't stand the distance between them any longer, so she thrust her lips onto his in a chaste kiss.

"Enjolras? Eponine? I thought I heard your voices!" someone shouted causing the couple to whip their heads around.

"Charlotte! Henri!" they replied as they saw their friends hobble closer, flanked by the rest of the group.

"We were coming to see you, my friends! There was a slight, erm, impediment. But he, _it, _has been taken care of," Enjolras said darkly, but then perked up as he continued speaking, "Here we have bread and water for you. We brought a new friend along as well, everyone meet Colin!" Colin stepped forward as his name was mentioned, and he began to shake hands. Names were being shouted but it was impossible to decipher which voice belonged to who as all the words were muddled into an imperceptible mess.

"Order everyone! We can make further introductions later, but for now we need to distribute the food and discuss what we came here for: the revolution," Eponine said causing everyone's words to die down on their tongues. She grabbed Colin's shoulder and focused the attention on him. "Colin has proved to be an asset to the revolution. He has managed to rally some of the rich in Provence, and for the past month. So far, he has managed to muster the support of a couple hundred supporters, and rich ones at that. What does money mean? Money means supplies! It means food and guns! He also is going to get some trained soldiers to help us so we can have followers with experience."

Eponine listed several more of Colin's idea and Enjolras' new ones, and when she finished, everyone erupted into applause.

"Enjolras, your girl is a fightin' girl! There is no way will we lose!"

"They will come one and all!"

"They will come when we call!"

"Vive la France!"

"Sometimes I think you are better at rallying people than I am," Enjolras whispered into Eponine's ear before kissing her cheek.

"I did from the best after all," Eponine said planting a quick kiss on his lips before walking towards the dispersing crowd. Everyone greeted Colin congratulating him for his insightful ideas and introducing themselves. Eponine shifted towards Charlotte with Marielle trailing behind her. She hadn't seen Charlotte since her baby Maria had passed, and the air between them was heavy.

"How are you doing?" Eponine asked genuinely. Marielle looked puzzled at Eponine's caring tone of voice, and the downtrodden look that formed on Charlotte's face.

"It's been hard. I never thought Maria would die before me; I always imagined her growing up to be wealthy, carefree, and happy. Yet, all that's left of Maria is a mother who can't even support herself," Charlotte said, absentmindedly wiping a tear away from her eye. Marielle may not have been the brightest, but she was wise enough to keep her mouth shut.

"I know that would be such a struggle. I obviously don't have any children so I can't even relate to your pain, but if anything happened to my brother or sister I know that I would be hysterical. You still have Henri to get you through this, and you have me and Enjolras," Eponine said soothingly passing her another piece of bread.

"Take care, Charlotte," she said solemnly, but brightened when she remembered Marielle next to her. "You remember Marielle, non?" Charlotte surveyed the girl, but nodded when a wave of recognition graced her face.

"Yes, you brought me money and bread on several occasions," Charlotte remembered clasping Marielle's petite hand. "I've seen you on the streets sometimes, as well."

"Yes, the two of us were very close, and we have just been reacquainted!" Eponine said excitedly.

"I was shocked when I first saw Eponine, she looks like a proper lady now!" Marielle said somewhat jealously.

"She has changed so much hasn't she? But only in appearance, our Eponine still has the same fiery little heart," Charlotte chuckled, but it her laugh seemed foreign as though she hadn't laughed in ages.

"Yes, 'Ponine would never let anyone else change her, she is the only person who can do that," Marielle said, but she did not realize there was no truth behind her words. Someone had changed Eponine for the better, and that was Enjolras. He taught her to let down her guard for him, and he taught her to love. Knowing that someone loved her had changed Eponine in a thousand ways, not that she would ever admit that.

"You should probably start the journey home, Eponine. It's getting dark outside and it the streets are a danger to you now because you look like beautiful bourgeois woman. Go along then, I will see you later!" Charlotte exclaimed abruptly. Eponine did not want to leave, but Charlotte had a point.

"Enjolras, we should go," Eponine suggested grabbing onto his arm. Enjolras looked at the dimming sky and agreed signaling Colin over.

"Do you want to invite Marielle over for the night? Colin could be a gentleman and sleep on the extra cot and Marielle could reside in Grantaire's old bedroom," Enjolras said. Grantaire had moved out just last week into a small home with Clara so they would have room to start a family when they were married.

"That sounds like a fine idea, why don't we go ask her now?" Eponine said with enthusiasm. "I'm sure Colin wouldn't object!" Colin blushed at her words, but didn't deny them.

At first, Marielle refused to take charity from Eponine and Enjolras, but Colin was the one who ended up persuading her to come home with them.

"The first thing that you are going to do when we get home is take a bath and then eat a mountain of food," Colin said as they starting walking home.

"I remember when I first stayed in your home. It wasn't a happy time because my father had just tried to kill me, but yet you turned it around and that day marked the start of my life," Eponine reminisced. "It seems like years ago, but in reality it was only a couple months ago. We've come so far since then."

"I'm so glad that I meant you, Eponine," Enjolras said kissing Eponine's forehead gingerly.

"I'm glad I met you, too."

They two walked in a compatible silence, contentedly eavesdropping in on Colin and Marielle's conversation and smirking at their obvious attraction. Eponine craned her neck to study Enjolras in the soft moonlight, but she frowned her eyes landed on a cut on his face.

"Did my father do that?" she asked, carefully stroking the area of skin just above the cut.

"Yes, he made his mark with his fingernails. But it does not matter, _I _instigated the fight after all, and plus, I left him in much worse conditions than he left me," Enjolras assured. Eponine smiled a dark smile as she remembered the injuries Enjolras had inflicted on the man.

"He deserved it," Eponine muttered.

"He deserves much worse for hurting you. He should know better than to touch something that I love because I protect the people close to me. I would do anything for you, Eponine. You make me afraid to die in the barricades. Before I thought our little lives didn't count at all, but now I see the greater picture. You are not a 'little life,' you are my world," Enjolras said pulling Eponine into his side. Eponine felt a rush of emotions bang her across the head, and the impact was dizzying.

"I love you," she said dabbing at the corner of her eyes to keep from letting any tears spill.

"I love you more than anything this world," Enjolras said gently.

"Even Patria?" Eponine teased.

"Especially Patria."

**A/N: Awww, couple-y sweetness haha. I decided that I **_**really**_** like Colin and Marielle together now… They're both just so cute!**


	39. Sweet Dreams are Made of Something

**A/N: In French I was looking at the textbook in class and it said 'les amis' in it and I tried really, really hard to contain my fangirl attack… I lost my ability to even. The same thing happened when I saw Allons-y in the textbook for all you Whovians, you know who you are **

Eponine bolted awake at the sound of familiar cries. No, it wasn't Enjolras, his eyelids were closed with his eyes flickering underneath them signaling he was dreaming. Eponine assumed it was a peaceful dream in spite of the relaxed smile etched onto his handsome features. The voice wasn't male anyways, it was clearly female. It reminded Eponine of herself when she first began to stay with Enjolras, how she would frequently wake up with cries in her mouth and unshed tears brewing in her eyes. Time and time again, Enjolras to wrap his strong arms around her and rock her back to sleep. Eventually, the nightmares stopped altogether.

Eponine hopped out of bed and slipped her cold feet into her slippers, intending to wake Marielle from her night terrors. However, before Eponine could even reach the door, Marielle's cries had subsided. Well, that was odd.

Due to the sudden lack of warmth and the subtle movement from Eponine, Enjolras was gently roused from his dream world. Rubbing the sleep out of his weary eyes he observed Eponine standing at the door as though she were about to open it. Soft cries echoed around the flat, and Enjolras attributed the sound to Marielle. Eponine could sense Enjolras rustling as he moved to get out of bed.

"Sorry for waking you up," Eponine apologized halfheartedly. Enjolras told her not to worry about it and rested his arms around her torso.

"I think we should check on Marielle and make sure she is okay," Enjolras said, gently nudging Eponine out the door in front of him. The two quietly crept towards the guest room when Eponine observed aloud that Colin wasn't on the couch anymore.

"Do you think…?" Enjolras began to ask, but what he was witnessing answered his question enough. The door to the guest bedroom was carelessly left open exposing the two youths in the room. Colin sat next to Marielle on the bed stroking her hair and whispered soothing words into Marielle's ear. Her cries lessened with each breath that was taken.

"They remind me of you and I increasingly with each minute," Eponine stated as they looked in on the two hidden behind a red silk chair, also known as Enjolras' chair

"I remember when you would have nightmares and I would embrace you in the way Colin is holding Marielle. It is most unfortunate that he has to leave so soon. I suppose Marielle will be waiting for him when he returns. I hope those two fall in love just as we did," Enjolras said kissing Eponine's hair, forehead, nose, and lips.

"If it doesn't, I will make sure it happens," Eponine said seriously, but then a grin alit her face. Enjolras rolled his eyes at his fiancé and held on to her tighter.

"You cannot force love, remember that. But in this case, their apparent love seems to be as natural as it gets. They experienced love at first sight, one may say," Enjolras pondered. It was Eponine's turn to roll her eyes.

"We cannot know for sure that they are in love. After all, they quite literally just met, they are both quite young, and they have not admitted their feelings for each other," Eponine argued.

"They could have declared their love already and we just are not aware."

"When would they have had time?"

Enjolras opened his mouth to respond, but he immediately clamped it shut when he felt two sets of eyes staring at him. Marielle's tears had stopped but Colin still sat beside her, and both of them had obviously spotted Eponine and Enjolras.

"Sorry to intrude, but we heard screaming coming from Marielle and we just wanted to make sure everybody was alright," Eponine explained. Marielle wiped her eyes quickly as Colin decided to get off of her bed.

"I guess I beat you two to it, but Marielle will be fine. I think I might stay with her tonight, just to make sure she doesn't get frightened again. I want to make the horrors go away," Colin said with a certain fondness before shutting the door quietly behind him cutting Eponine and Enjolras off from the guest room.

"It feels nice to be the ones doing the intruding rather than the couple who gets intruded on. In fact, I think this is a first!" Eponine remarked. Enjolras chuckled and agreed with her fully.

"That is definitely a truth. Come, we need our sleep. I heard that General Lemarque has fallen fatally ill and he might not have much time left. If that is true, I think I have a good plan in mind for which day will we spark our revolution. Tomorrow we will have a lot of work to do," Enjolras explained as the pair climbed into bed.

"Goodnight, Enjy. I love you," Eponine yawned. Enjolras snaked his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek.

"I love you too, mon amour."

**LINE BREAK**

The next morning, Eponine decided it was time that Marielle had a warm bath, proper haircut, and new dress. She reminisced to the time when Enjolras had first taken her in, and watching Marielle she felt as though she was watching herself find love and solace in a bourgeois boy.

After Marielle had emerged from the elegant bath tub with clawed feet, Eponine had to admit she looked like a drowned rat. A drowned street rat. Her skin, now clean, looked out of place and raw from all the scrubbing for it wasn't used to being clean. Dirt residue clung to the white porcelain of the tub and symbolically displayed the filth that detained Marielle was now washed away and gone. The water had turned Marielle's blonde hair brown, and the tangles were evident in her mess of hair.

"Pull on this robe," Eponine commanded handing Marielle the article of clothing. "I'm going to brush your hair and cut it. The first time always hurts the most, but if you maintain brushing your hair it becomes pleasant instead of painful." Eponine grabbed the wooden brush and began to gently approach Marielle's hair. Ten minutes into the brushing, impatience bubbled inside of Eponine and she began to attack the long, golden tangles.

"This, ow, is really, OUCH, hurting my head, AHHHH, 'Ponine! OUCH!" Marielle winced and tried to pull away from the brush of doom.

"Sit still, I have almost got the biggest knots out. They just need some tough loving and a strong will. Think how beautiful Colin will think you are when I am through!" Eponine said halfheartedly as she tore the brush through Marielle's hair. Finally, after several excruciating minutes, Eponine placed down the brush and went to go fetch a pair of scissors.

"I know Enjolras has a pair around here somewhere, I will be back in a moment. There's a mirror on the table over there," Eponine explained before exiting the room. She began to search through drawers in the room that Enjolras and Eponine shared when she heard a voice behind her.

"Looking for something?" Enjolras asked wrapping his arms around Eponine's waist. She turned around and began to kiss him, but abruptly pulled away.

"I'm on a mission, do not distract me with your cheekbones and handsome, stormy eyes that replicate the sky after a sunset when the sky turns gray before it fades to black. The most precious moment of the day in my opinion occurs at that moment… You let me get distracted!" Eponine said snapping out of her dreamy rambling. Enjolras laughed out loud and buried his face into Eponine's curls.

"What's your 'mission?'" Enjolras questioned with genuine curiosity.

"I'm trying to find scissors to enable me to trim Marielle's hair," Eponine informed him. Enjolras shut his eyes for a moment trying to recall the last place the scissors had been.

"I know where they are! Clara had asked to borrow them to threaten Grantaire, and when she returned them I placed them in my bedside table," he said clapping his hands. Approaching the table, he yanked open the bottom drawer and retrieved the silver scissors.

"Here you go my love, try not to mess up her hair," Enjolras said dramatically bestowing the scissors unto his beloved.

"Why ever would you say that? Now I am nervous that I will ruin Marielle's hair! I do not know how to trim someone else's hair! Could you take over the task?" Eponine inquired hopefully but was dismayed when Enjolras shook his head.

"I know even less than you about hair," Enjolras admitted.

Dejectedly, the couple walked out into the sitting room where Colin was reading a book.

"Colin, do you by any chance happen to know how to cut hair neatly?" Eponine asked biting her lip. Colin his book down and looked up thoughtfully.

"When I was boy, I had a maid who would cut my hair as well as my brother's. She always gave us tips for cutting men and women's hair alike, and I picked up a few things. One day, she even went so far to have us practice on our cousin, Elaina. She was appalled at first when I approached her and begged to cut her hair, but she was overall pleased with the results I gave her," Colin said chuckling at the memory.

"That sounds good enough for me! I trust you with these scissors, would you mind cutting Marielle's hair? I would do the task myself, but it is inevitable that I will mess something up," Eponine confessed. Colin grinned at snatched the scissors.

"I cannot understand why you think you are not competent to take these scissors and snip a small portion off of Marielle's hair. There's no secret to it, all you have to do is cut! However, if you are uncomfortable doing so, I will gladly take over the job," Colin said cheerfully.

For the next half hour, Eponine and Enjolras eavesdropped outside the bathroom door, listening to the conversation taking place inside and exchanging knowing glances every so often.

"My hair has never looked better, thanks to you Colin," Marielle's delighted voice rang out when Colin had finished.

"It was no hassle. And now, your hair looks as fine as the golden fields that are kissed by the fading sun, and as light as the wind when it rustles through the trees. You are a vision, Marielle, the most beautiful woman I have ever witnessed! You are this wondrous creature who has lived through so much horror, and now you deserve nothing less than the absolute best," Colin declared. Enjolras and Eponine looked expectantly at the door, but they were confused when there was an obvious silence. The silence stretched on and on, and Eponine's eyes alit when she understood what it meant.

"Eponine, what's going on in there?" Enjolras whispered.

"I am not one hundred percent confident in my theory, but I am quite hopeful when I say Marielle just kissed Colin!"

**A/N: OOooooo the barricades are coming soon-ish! SORRY FOR ANY MISTAKES! And sorry for the late update **


	40. Matchmaker

**A/N: THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING I LOVE YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY FANGIRL HEART! After reading everyone's totally awesome reviews I couldn't stop smiling so I listened to On My Own, Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, I Dreamed a Dream, Death of Gavroche, Epilogue, and Drink with Me over and over again until I calmed down. Those songs can definitely make someone cry. **

"You are a genius Eponine, you somehow guided Colin to Marielle and now they have found love in each other. I am amazed at your matchmaking abilities, love. You are just full of surprises. I just realize now that you orchestrated the 'hair cut' idea; I thought you were serious," Enjolras praised as they spied on Marielle and Colin laughing in the garden behind the building. They were laughing now, but when the laughter finally died down their eyes became downcast. Today was the eve before Colin's departure.

"What can I say? Love is love, but sometimes we all need guidance to know that it is there," Eponine shrugged. "I have to say, the haircut idea worked out miraculously. Of course I know how to cut hair; when I was younger I would trim Gavroche's unruly hair all the time."

"When was the last time you saw Gavroche?"

"I can't be sure; he pops up at the most random of moments. I do not think he has seen me since my… transformation from a gamine to a mademoiselle. I wonder how he will react…" Eponine trailed off.

"Look! They're kissing again!" Enjolras whopped, but Eponine rolled her eyes and playfully shoved her fiancé. Honestly, he was more excited about Colin and Marielle's newfound love than she!

"They have been doing that for the past several days. It burdens my heart every time I think about how this is Colin's last day in Paris before the revolution. Marielle is going to miss him fiercely," Eponine sighed.

"I wish we could freeze the world for them," Enjolras said sadly, but Eponine could tell that he wasn't just referring to Marielle and Colin but also himself and Eponine. "Yet, with the rate things have been progressing, I assume Colin will be returning as early as the end of May or the beginning of June."

"That's so soon!" Eponine gasped. Instead of worrying about Marielle and Colin, she began to worry for herself and Enjolras. What would become of them when the barricades arise?

"I wonder what will happen to you and I," Enjolras wondered aloud voicing Eponine's thoughts.

"When the revolution ends and the barricades have been cleared and the blood mopped up, you and I will be standing hand in hand and very much in love. Maybe we will be standing in the middle of the street that the barricades had been erected on, or we could very well be looking down on the scene from heaven. But however our fate plays out, I will _always _be standing right beside you," Eponine said passionately.

"Always?"

"Always and forever," Eponine promised before kissing Enjolras soundly. He pulled away when he felt his cheeks grow slick with water.

"Why are you crying?" he asked blatantly. Eponine sniffled twice and brought her hands up to her eyes to wipe away the tears, but Enjolras caught her wrists and wiped away the tears himself. Eponine let out a shaky laugh and shook her head.

"I'm afraid to die now that I have you," she admitted wrapping her arms around Enjolras' iconic red vest. She inhaled deeply and relaxed at the scent that was attributed to his vest.

"Then don't die. Don't come to the barricades and be safe."

"It's not just that, Enjolras. Thoughts of _you _dying plague my mind and it frightens me further. I cannot lose you."

"We have managed to rally more people than I thought possible at this point; I know we will win. I can feel it in my bones, resonating like a good omen," Enjolras stated.

"If you die, I will kill you."

"Good luck with that, Eponine."

"I don't care what you say, I am coming to the barricades and I will be there right by your side the entire time. I love you," Eponine said softly. Talking lovingly and passionately with a man was a concept that was still foreign to Eponine and she felt awkward every time she muttered an 'I love you.' Yet, whenever she said those three words to Enjolras, her heart would soar to the highest cloud and she would feel the thrill and excitement of love course through her small body and fill her with joy.

"I love you too, mon amour," Enjolras muttered pulling Eponine closer. "I will protect you."

"We're back!" Colin shouted as he and Marielle entered the flat, and putting an end to Enjolras and Eponine's tender moment.

"Colin, you have something on your face," Eponine said with her mouth turned upwards into a smile. Colin looked confused and proceeded to wipe his face. Enjolras glanced up at his face and let out a loud chortle when he saw what Eponine had been referring to.

"What's wrong with my face?" Colin demanded trying to wipe the mystery 'something' off his face. Marielle looked smug beside him.

"You, erm, have some lipstick… everywhere," Eponine said bursting with laughter at Colin's horrified expression. Colin's face immediately darkened into a bold crimson as he stormed off to the bathroom to remove the lipstick from his face.

"You little minx," Eponine teased Marielle. Marielle widened her eyes and pretended to look innocent.

"Who, me?" she feigned ignorance. She began to join Eponine and Enjolras' loud laughs until all of their sides hurt. Marielle's giggles halted and soon all that was left was the ghost of a happiness that once was and a large frown.

"What's wrong, Marielle?" Eponine asked concernedly as she noticed Marielle's sudden change in attitude.

"I keep dwelling on the unfortunate fact that Colin is leaving when the sun rises tomorrow," she sighed burying her head in her hands. Eponine untangled herself from Enjolras and soothingly patted Marielle's back.

"He will come back for you in no time, but he has to go to Provence to aid the supporters over there. The revolution is so close I can feel it, and when the storm brews, he will return with the rain," Eponine coaxed.

"Colin will return to a dangerous world with blood and fighting. What if he falls in the battles?" Marielle fretted.

"I promise both you and he will live," Eponine murmured.

"You don't know that!" Marielle wailed becoming slightly more hysterical. Eponine looked at Enjolras for help.

"Let us all worry about the revolution at a later time. Now is a time to spend with those we love most, and these moments may be our last so we should relax and find peace and love in each other," Enjolras said as gentle as possible, but his words made him cringe. He was going soft. Thinking such thoughts and speaking such words were slowing him down.

The rest of the evening was quiet yet slightly more cheerful. Eponine fell asleep wrapped in Enjolras' arms, but she tried not to notice the pain that stung her heart when she awoke in the middle of the night to an empty bed. Of course Enjolras would be up at this hour plotting and planning, he had been born with a quill in one hand and parchment in the next with a speech rolling off his tongue, and despite all the love he had for Eponine, she could never change who he was.

**LINE BREAK**

The black carriage tumbled away down the rain soaked cobble stones carrying Colin inside. Marielle stood in the street with her hand raised in a forlorn goodbye, and rain accumulated onto her small frame and soaked her lilac dress. The rain camouflaged her tears that poured in a steady trail down her face and almost made her cries inaudible. Almost.

"She will be okay," Eponine assured Enjolras as well as herself. They stood in the threshold of their flat watching Marielle as she crumbled in front of them, her strength finally resolving. Eponine imagined herself in Marielle's shoes and Enjolras in Colin's, but the thought of being separated from her fiancé was too great a burden. "Marielle is one of the strongest people I know."

"It's funny how love can make you weaker and stronger at the same time," Enjolras observed casually.

"Oh? Do explain."

"Love can make you weaker because you no longer ultimately care about only yourself, but a whole other person as well. You give your heart to another, yet they have the power to shatter it in one motion. You are my weakness, Eponine, and if anything were ever to happen to you, I wouldn't be able to live with the pain. Yet, love is also strength for love pushes you beyond boundaries you never thought you could possibly cross. Come the dawn of the revolution, I will be fighting for my Eponine. You are my reason to live, my Patria, and with you I know I will finally achieve my happy ending," Enjolras said thoughtfully.

In front of them, Marielle finally calmed herself down and reentered the flat. The sadness in her eyes that had been present until she met Colin suddenly reappeared and broke Eponine's heart. Marielle deserved better than this. Eponine didn't say any comforting words to Marielle because she knew that Marielle wouldn't want to hear it. A simple smile would suffice.

"I have to go to the café and finalize my attack strategy, you should stay here with Marielle," Enjolras told Eponine and she nodded. Eponine looked dismally at his retreating figure. The revolution had completely consumed him at this point it seemed, and despite how proud Eponine was of him, she felt lonely inside. And when he was home he may be physically there, but he was never _really _there anymore.

"Good luck," she offered even though she knew Enjolras couldn't here her before vanishing to the kitchen to brew a cup of tea.

On his walk to the café Enjolras kept thinking about how much he had to lose now that he had Eponine.

**A/N: Today I spent an hour learning how to play On My Own on the piano and it sounds freaking beautiful. Sorry for the kind of uneventful and overall sad chapter, but we did have to say goodbye to Colin. The action is going to start happening in the next chapter so watch out! And now I am sad because the story will be over soonish **** But never fear I have a good idea for the next Enjonine fanfic! MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU! Ha ha because it's May 4****th****? I really need to stop explaining my jokes.**


	41. Before the Storm

**A/N: Who has watched Graceland? I think it is AMAZING (mostly because of Aaron Tveit). I think his character Mike Warren is a lot like Enjolras being all smart and stuff, or maybe that's just me. **

Eponine felt bad for falling asleep at yet another one of Enjolras' meeting but she was exhausted. For the past week, Enjolras had consistently left at night, and it was impossible for Eponine to sleep with him gone. Nightmares would wake and startle her, and she hadn't caught a wink of sleep on her own. She felt incredibly weak admitting this to herself, and there is no way she would ever tell Enjolras what had been happening; he would treat her like she was breakable and fragile. Eponine was strong and she needed sympathy from no one. Unfortunately, she _did _need her sleep, and without it, she couldn't think straight.

"Today I can feel the revolution rolling closer like a storm on the horizon right before the first lightning has struck or the first thunder has clapped. It is approaching so rapidly that I can feel it brewing in the air, all we need is a sign and the opportune moment to rise up!" Enjolras preached. Wiping the sleep from her eyes, Eponine encouragingly smiled at him.

"Exciting, isn't it?" Grantaire slurred before kissing Clara. Those two had been inseparable ever since their return from Provence, and it was verging on disgusting. Nobody had seen one without the other.

"Ignore Grantaire; he is drunk," Enjolras said (as the words left his mouth Enjolras realized that he says them quite frequently) before launching into a new speech about how to strategically assemble the barricades. Eponine wanted to listen, but her body decided against her wishes and her eyelids began to droop and her posture began to sag. As her eyes closed, Eponine missed little Gavroche run enthusiastically into the café with energy oozing from every pore.

In fact, it seemed as though nobody had seen Gavroche yet. He shouted loudly to catch Les Amis' attention, but the effort was simply in vain. Frustrated, he tried again but was not heard over the dispute that had broken down.

"Grantaire, put Clara down! NO! Do not pick up that bottle! Grantaire, focus!"

"Do not tell me what I can or cannot do! I will never listen!"

"You are so-"

"Devilishly handsome?" Clara crooned adding her input.

"That was the last thing that actually came to my mind. I would've gone with an ignorant little-"

"Relax, my friend. I was only trying to show Clara how much I love her, unlike you! Where is Eponine right now? You don't have much time left, and you have not been paying attention to her! Did you even notice she's here? I would be surprised if you did! Look, she's there, _asleep _in the corner!"

"Do not talk to me like you even know anything about my and Eponine's love! I love her with all my heart, but I have to invest my focus on the revolution right now or we will all be dead! I have started working longer and harder to protect her!"

"We all know your first love will always be Patria."

"Eponine is my Patria, therefore your argument contradicts itself."

"Is she really your Patria? She might be the symbol for the revolution in _your _opinion, but the last time I checked, Eponine wasn't a country. She's not France; she's a woman."

"She represents everything I believe in, and more!"

"Well I am sure that Ep-"

"QUIET EVERYBODY!" Gavroche shouted at last after he had climbed on top of a table, quite red in the face with impatience. "I have something to tell all of you, and you better listen up." Scanning the room, his eyes landed on his sister and he stared at her hunched over form in concern. "Is Eponine dead?"

At his words, Joly was thrown into a panic. Everyone groaned as Joly began to check her pulse.

"Of course she isn't dead, your sister has been feeling a little extra tired lately. Joly, stop touching her," Enjolras commanded as he let some of his steam subside from his quarrel with Grantaire. Joly looked up and sheepishly let Eponine's arm drop to the table with a _thud. _

"Now that I have your attention, I want to tell you that General Lemarque is dead."

Gavroche's words started an uproar so thunderous that Eponine was jolted awake.

"This is the sign that we await! At his funeral we shall go to pay our respects. We will gather every single one of our supporters and at the tomb of Lemarque our barricades shall arise! Colin will be returning soon!" Enjolras said proudly. The horrified look on Eponine's face could not be replicated. The danger had never seemed real until now, and she couldn't handle the fact that she may only have a couple weeks left with her fiancé. She might not live to see her wedding.

"The time is hear my friends!"

Les Amis went around animatedly talking about the upcoming battle, but Eponine sunk lower into her chair. How could she be happy with her and her fiancé's death had just been confirmed? Eponine desperately hoped that Enjolras and Colin had miraculously rallied enough people to match the amount of men fighting on the enemy side. Eponine had never been religious, but now she had picked up the habit of praying every time she could manage it. Eponine wiped the tear that was threatening to fall as she watched Enjolras light up like a child on Christmas morning. Of course he looked thrilled now, but come the revolution would the smile remain? Would he be begging for death or already dead?

"Eponine, did you hear the news?" Enjolras whispered to her causing Eponine to jump a foot out of her chair.

"You startled me!" Eponine said trying to disguise her upset voice. It sounded scratchy and gravelly with sleep and tears.

"I'm sorry, mon amour," Enjolras said sliding into the seat next to her. He absentmindedly began to play with Eponine's long locks and she shivered at the motion.

"I heard the news; it was so loud in hear I would be surprised if Colin didn't hear it all the way in Provence," Eponine said allowing herself to chuckle. Enjolras shrugged with his smile never faltering.

"What is the first thing you wish to do in the new world when the fighting is over?" Enjolras questioned.

"_If _we even live to see the new world," Eponine grumbled.

"You cannot afford to think like that right now."

"Fine, the first thing I want to do is get married."

"I second that idea. Where shall we get married?"

Eponine thought long and hard about the answer to his question, even if Enjolras hadn't been completely serious.

"I liked the open space in Provence. We could get married in a vineyard or an open field, somewhere unconventional and outside."

"Underneath the gorgeous sunset; I quite like that idea. I always assumed I would get married in a church, but your suggestion suits you and I better than a church," Enjolras mused.

"I want to invite all of Les Amis, Charlotte, Henri, their friends, Marielle, Colin, and Colin's friends. Speaking of weddings, what has happened to the newlyweds, Cosette and Marius? Shouldn't they be back by now?" Eponine wondered.

"I am going to write Marius and tell him of the impending barricades and request his presence back here. Every man counts at this point; we need him."

"I hope for the sake of Cosette that Marius lives," Eponine muttered.

"I do as well, but if one person comes out alive it had better be you," Enjolras said firmly, gripping Eponine's little hand.

"Hand holding in public? What has happened to the marble man?" Grantaire smirked as he approached the table with his legs shaking slightly.

"He's done much worse to me in public, I'm afraid. You just weren't around to witness it," Eponine teased, but she was also serious.

"Let us not mention my moments of weakness to Grantaire of all people," Enjolras said glaring at the inebriated man. Grantaire just laughed.

"Don't worry future brother-in-law and future sister-in-law. Wait a bit, is Eponine my future sister-in-law, or am I not related to her? I'm marrying Clara and she shall be my wife, and then you will marry Eponine making her _your _wife, and you are Clara's brother so Eponine would be Clara's sister-in-law but would I fit in this picture?" Grantaire slurred. Enjolras groaned at his friend's disoriented state.

"Just go home, Grantaire. Figure this out when you can think straight. I am sure that Clara loves dealing with you when you get this drunk; you should try cutting back on your alcohol intake for her! When you get married, what would happen if you became a father? You would really have to stop getting drunk then!" Enjolras warned.

"I have a simple solution: I won't become a father," Grantaire said narrowing his eyes.

"Go home," Eponine said. She shot Grantaire her most ferocious death glare and that caused Grantaire to sober up enough to barge out of the café with Clara behind him.

"I think that man is terrified of you," Enjolras chuckled.

"I know."

Later that night when Enjolras and Eponine were in bed and Eponine appeared to be asleep, Enjolras slowly pulled himself out of bed so he could start writing a letter to Colin to inform him how near the revolution was. However, Eponine was wide awake this time.

"Stay," she commanded him before he snuck out. Enjolras spun around and looked softly as his fiancé.

"I have to work," he said with a yawn.

"Not tonight; tonight you are staying here with me," Eponine whimpered. She wanted to maintain her 'tough and unafraid' image, but she couldn't carry on with the lack of sleep she had been receiving. Nightmares would surely plague her mind tonight about Enjolras dying or getting wounded in the barricades, and she needed Enjolras to be with her.

"For tonight, I will. I've noticed you have been looking exhausted lately, is something wrong?" Enjolras asked as he rapidly slid back into bed.

"It's nothing," Eponine sighed as she curled into Enjolras.

"Are you having nightmares again?" Enjolras asked worriedly. To his dismay, Eponine nodded.

"It's been fine, I can deal with the nightmares," Eponine assured him.

"You don't have to be tough all the time, it's okay to let yourself get scared," Enjolras whispered soothingly. Eponine grabbed onto him tighter. She was not going to cry, she was too tough for that.

"I have a feeling that nightmares won't be visiting tonight," she yawned before falling into a peaceful sleep.

**A/N: Today it was raining all day and I was stuck inside so I watched Les Mis (of course) and I spent about an hour outside singing On My Own and A Little Fall of Rain and pretending to be Eponine. Carry on!**


	42. The Storm

**A/N: So this story is almost over because everyone dies… JUST KIDDING! But the end is drawing near so get you sad pants on **** DO NOT BE SAD FOR LONG MES AMIS FOR I COME BEARING GIFTS! When My Week with Eponine is over I have already planned out a modern day au to post. I think I'm going to call it The Swan Song… **

Colin and his friend's return to Paris was the only gleam of happiness Eponine received until the day of General Lemarque's funeral. Marius and Cosette had blissfully returned as well, but they kept mostly to themselves. The impending moment was finally here and death's greedy hand was looming over the rebels' heads like a storm cloud. The morning of the procession, Enjolras and Eponine woke early after not much sleep so they could prepare for the battle.

"Eponine, I want you to borrow some of my clothes. It will be easier for you to move around dressed as a man, and I also do not want you to soil your pretty dresses with dirt, sweat, and inevitably, blood," Enjolras said as he pulled on his red coat with the red, white, and blue rosette pinned onto the lapel. Eponine agreed with him and snatched up a crisp white shirt, black pants, black cravat, and a deep crimson vest. In silence she slipped on the garments, counting down the minutes to her death.

"Lighten up, mon amour. No matter what the results of today are, I will always find you in the end," Enjolras said as he embraced his fiancé. He wondered if they would live long enough to get married. He ran his strong hands through Eponine's dark locks and memorized every last detail about her so if she were to die, he could still remember her to the full extent.

"I am ready to fight with you," Eponine said firmly.

"We will win the revolution, thanks to you. If you had never connected me to the heart of the slums we would never have gained so much support, and Les Amis and I all would have perished. Yes, I can see it now: scattered bits of furniture veneered in the blood of once angry men who now lie in heaven are all that remain of the barricades that killed so many. My cause has been forgotten, the people label it as a delusional student's idea to change the world and file the occasion away forever. You and I never got to truly meet and we died alone and bitter. Death does not suit or pallid faces and damaged bodies. The world had been a cold place to me that had no light or love it in, and leaving it wasn't sad to me at all. But Eponine, you decided to change the game, and now I _will not die_," Enjolras said with a gentle and tender passion behind his eyes that made Eponine crumble.

Eponine and Enjolras were the only two at breakfast that morning, Colin and Marielle had not yet gotten up. Never in her life had Eponine felt like crying so much, she trained her eyes on her oatmeal so Enjolras wouldn't see the tears that welled in her orbs.

Contributing to the silence, Enjolras scanned his notes repeatedly, determined to find a tiny flaw somewhere. It is funny how hard it is to think of something to say when your time is coming to a close, even if you have a million things to be said. Eponine opened and closed her mouth several times realizing that anything she said at this point would only be unnecessary. Time was slipping through their fingers, but Eponine wouldn't speak unless she had something important to say.

Colin, who had a serious case of bedhead, strolled into the eating room with his clothes thrown messily on and his eyes just as heavy as his heart. He had truly transformed from a boy to a man in such short time. Marielle trailed behind him wearing a simple dress with her hair braided into a messy plait down her back. Her eyes were just as empty as Colin's. Neither had anything to say as they quietly prepared their food and sat down. The silence in the room was so thick that one could slice it with a sharp knife.

"I cannot recall a time where I have ever been more nervous," Enjolras admitted at last, killing the silence. "Yet, I am anxious and charged at the same time. This revolution is all I have known for so long, and it is happening _today. _Years of planning will be taken off the table and pitched into reality; this is really happening."

Eponine had never seen Enjolras more unkempt and raw than he was now standing before her with his bloodshot eyes, messy hair, and his attire thrown on half hazard. The only thing she wanted to do was reach out and comfort him.

"This is it," Eponine echoed with her mind drowning in thought. The storm was here and it was getting ready to let all its rage and fury loose.

"Today is a blessing and a curse. It hasn't happened yet and there is no way of telling what will happen other than actually living through it. We can seize the day and make it what we want it to be, there is still time," Colin said strongly. Enjolras raised his lost eyes to his friend and smiled, suddenly looking confident in himself.

"Colin is absolutely correct. Now, who is ready to start a revolution with me?" Enjolras asked.

**Line Break **

When they were standing together as they waited for the funeral to commence, the endless supporters looked a like a sea of people with hope and light of a new world gleaming in their eyes. Something terrible but wonderful would start when the first word of the song left Enjolras' lips, and the moment will live on when a thousand other lips join Enjolras and belt out the melody of the song in unison.

Eponine noticed her young sibling dart in and out of the crowd collecting small treasures to pass the time. Enjolras was quietly talking to a group of people from Provence, and Colin was flagging down some last minute supporters. Others, like Grantaire, were casually standing around taking periodic swigs from a bottle of wine. The heat of June and the smell of sweat was so prominent that it filled Eponine's nostrils, and the acrid smell forced her to breathe through her mouth. She used to welcome smells like this, but it seemed a stranger to her now.

The sun spilled over the treetops bestowing shadows to every person who walked underneath it. The purest blue that one could imagine could never even begin to describe the beauty of the skies on this day, yet they seemed sinister as though they were mocking the trembling revolutionists.

"Is this going to be starting soon?" asked a voice behind Eponine. She turned around sharply and grinned as she saw her brother standing there.

"I don't know, Gavroche. Enjolras knows more about this than I," she shrugged. Gavroche nodded and began to squeeze through the jungle of legs as he made his way to Enjolras. It wasn't much of an exchange, but it felt nice to talk to her brother after hardly seeing him. Eponine felt a surge of pride when she saw him sporting the red, white, and blue rosette that she, Enjolras, and all the other brave supporters had pinned to their chests.

Everyone had been gathered in the town square for hours that felt like days, and anxiety was a tidal wave over the crowd. Eponine wanted this time of waiting to end, yet she never wanted the black carriage that bore General Lemarque's body to arrive. She waited patiently with baited breath until the first drumbeat was audible in a steady rhythm. The drums could be heard several minutes before the carriage finally rolled around. Enjolras gripped onto Eponine's hand for courage; both of their palms were slick with sweat. Enjolras held his ground as he waited to give the signal.

In the blink of an eye, the carriage was close enough and Enjolras began to sing.

"Do you hear the people sing?" he began, and everyone else joined in. Chaos hadn't started yet, but the loud song was enough to start uneasy glances between the guards transferring the body. The song began to pick up, but nobody was singing louder than Eponine. Enjolras and several others broke out of the crowd and climbed onto the carriage. Marius, who decided that he would join his brothers for the fight, waved a flag around on the ground. However it was Enjolras and Eponine took stood atop the carriage as the brandished their own red flags. Enjolras looked at Eponine and beamed, the fear was replaced by sheer adrenaline and he felt as though he could conquer the world. Seeing Enjolras so excited, Eponine couldn't help but get wrapped up in the spirit as adrenaline took over her as well.

"THERE IS A LIFE ABOUT TO START WHEN TOMORROW COMES!" everyone finished, their voices replaced with an unsettling silence. Everyone looked around expectantly, unsure what they should do next. Suddenly, an enemy guard drew his long gun at pointed it at anyone who he could find. His hands shaking, the stupid man fired the damned thing and the bullet pierced straight through an old, innocent woman.

The scene played out like a river; it had been calm at first but it quickly picked up speed and splayed water in every direction. People moved with energy they never imagined they possessed as they ran to their designated destination. Everything was madness, but Enjolras' voice could still be heard loud and clear over the bedlam:

"To the barricades!"

**A/N: Okay I really didn't like writing this chapter for some reason, but I cannot wait to write about the barricades! AHHH THE TIME IS HERE! So bear with me until the next chapter! Unfortunately, my exams are also here (well almost here), and I am sorry if I don't update that much. Next chapter will have more E/E and Marielle/Colin. When I first wrote Colin I didn't think much of him and I wasn't going to bring him back, but as I began to characterize him I decided that he should get his happy ending like Enjolras. **


	43. At the Barricades of Freedom

**A/N: I know that there is so much Enjonine hate in the world right now and people don't get it our queer little ship, but I really strongly believe that we shouldn't engage and respond to all this meanness. If every single Enjonine shipper just completely ignored it, the haters won't have an audience. Haters gonna hate, potatoes gonna potate, and Tveiters gonna Tveit. Can we please just have a fandomtopia where every fandom and ship lives in harmony? I honestly don't care if you disagree with my ships because I know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and if someone just doesn't get Enjonine, it's all good. Right when I was getting into the ship, I didn't get it at first. But I read some fanfictions and then I got completely sucked in, it just took a little bit so I get it when others don't understand. People vocalizing their hate is what makes me angry, but I would rather just ignore and move on! I like to be happy and hate is just so negative I would rather just not listen to it. If everyone ignores it, maybe the haters will eventually go away when they see we don't care. Sorry for ranting!**

Sweat trickled down Eponine's temple and the salt stung her eyes as the gentle breeze lapped at her exposed neck. Her hard work was evident in her aching muscles; the hours of building the barricade were finally catching up to her. Eponine took a deep breath and stepped back for a moment to survey their efforts. Stacks of broken furniture were stacked strategically into a barricade in the center of the street, the design was made perfect from Enjolras' endless planning, and citizens were still toiling away as they piled more and more onto the barricade. Out of the corner of Eponine's eye, she could make out Enjolras talking to an older gentleman and nodding respectfully at him before the man ran off.

"Who was that?" Eponine asked approaching her fiancé as she fiddled with her engagement ring that dangled around her neck from a chain. She had removed it from her finger for the fighting so she wouldn't lose it.

"He was a volunteer and I sent him off to discover the enemies' plans. The bloke looked familiar but I can't quite recall where I had seen him before," Enjolras pondered. "The more I try to remember him, I get a bad feeling."

"Think, Enjolras, _he _could have been a spy himself. I trust your instincts and if you have a bad feeling about this man let me follow him," Eponine offered.

"I shall come with you," Enjolras demanded, but Eponine shook her head.

"No, you will be needed here. I will take Colin or Marielle with me. I saw the back of the man and I will recognize his hair and clothes when I search for him," Eponine said before jogging off. Enjolras watched her go before stalking off to go find Combeferre. Eponine searched for Colin or Marielle high and low before she spotted Marielle carrying a wooden chair over to the main area.

"Marielle! Come with me! Enjolras sent off a volunteer to learn the foe's attack plan, but he thought the man looked familiar and his instincts told him that the man was bad. Come, I watched him and saw the direction he took. If we hurry we may be able to catch him," Eponine explained urgently and Marielle's eyes widened.

"We must be on our way then!" Marielle shouted. Eponine nodded and began to sprint out with Marielle falling in step behind her. Eponine ran back through the twisting streets trying to find where their foes may be. She knew her way around more than anyone in the entirety of Paris, and if anyone were to find them, it would be Eponine.

"Do you know where you are going?" Marielle asked after minutes of nothing.

"I saw him go in this direction and I have an inkling where the army might be," Eponine said briefly. Straining her legs, Eponine's bare feet pounded the cobbled pavements at a pace so fast that she could feel blood staining them. Suddenly, loud and obnoxious men's voices filled the night's serenity and Eponine sighed in relief and tensed in fear; they had found the government's troops. They all had the same uniform on, none of them looked like the man who had volunteered.

"Eponine, get down!" Marielle whispered urgently. Eponine whipped her head around to see Marielle as white as a sheet.

"What is it?" Eponine asked as she crouched down behind a building, thankful for the pants that she had borrowed from Enjolras.

Marielle shushed Eponine and ran to join her behind the building, but a man stopped her. She was too late.

"What is scum like you doing in these parts?" a man with a steely voice projected. Marielle cowered underneath his glare.

"All the fighting frightened me, Monsieur. I came to these parts to get away from the barricades," Marielle whimpered. She didn't have to fake her fear; it was real.

"Why do you don the tricolor rosette? That is the sign of the rebels, if I am not mistaken," the man sneered. Eponine dared to sneak a glance at the man and was taken aback to see Javert standing there. His clothes matched the clothes of the man who had been talking to Enjolras; Javert was the volunteer.

"I-I…" Marielle faltered. Excuses and lies could normally flow from her brain, but today her mind went blank. Eponine would have gotten up to assist her, but she was already sailing in troubled waters with the man. Her presence would only hurt.

"Give me a reason why I shouldn't shoot you now," Javert said coldly drawing his gun and cocking it.

"Let me live, Monsieur! I meant no harm!" Marielle cried.

"Did your leader send you hear as a spy as well, or did he want you to keep an eye on me?" Javert demanded.

"I-I don't know," Marielle heaved and Eponine could hear Javert drawing closer. Eponine knew she had to help, and she began to formulate a plan in her head.

"What do you know?" Javert questioned again.

"H-he sent me t-to keep an e-eye on you!" Marielle crumbled. Javert was a cruel man of nature, and he followed what he knew to be the law. Whoever supported the rebel cause automatically deserved death, and he deemed Marielle a supporter.

"You can have the honor of being the first foolish citizen to die for a cause that never had a chance," Javert said pointing the gun at Marielle. Eponine gasped from the shadows and sprang into action.

"Get away from her!" Eponine shouted pushing Javert out of the way. It was too late; he had fired the gun and the bullet was on course. Fortunately, Eponine had shifted its position and it was no longer pointed at Marielle's heart, but it was now trained on her arm. The bullet pierced Marielle's skin and caused her to fall backwards, and the wound drenched her clothes.

"I hate you!" Eponine sobbed as she retrieved the fallen gun and trained it on Javert. Some soldiers had heard the bullet, and Eponine knew she had to get out of there. Forgetting the gun, she scooped up Marielle and ran all the way back to the barricades, every so often checking behind her to make sure nobody had followed.

"This. Bloody. Hurts," Marielle squeezed out between pants. Eponine smiled at the sound of her voice.

"Where were you shot? I thought he got you in the chest," Eponine said with relief in her voice.

"No, you saved my life. The bullet got my arm. It hurts like hell but I will heal," Marielle explained.

Eponine never thought she would be so happy to see the barricades in her life. Shouting for Enjolras, Colin, and Joly, they boys let her enter the barricade.

"She's been shot! Don't fret, it only got her arm and she will live," Eponine said. Tears sprung to Colin's eyes when he saw her bloodied body, and Joly transferred her body to his arms.

"I will stitch her up at once," he said before slowly walking off with Colin trailing behind him asking a million questions about her health.

"What if that had been you?" Enjolras asked Eponine somewhat angrily. "I wanted you to be careful."

"We were, until Javert spotted her. Yes, you were right, the man shouldn't have been trusted; it was Javert. He is a corrupted inspector who takes the law too literally and it has impaired his judgment tonight. He saw her rosette and shot her before she could even explain," Eponine sighed.

"Did you find out their plans?" Enjolras questioned, his eyes darting back and forth.

"No, but they looked like they were preparing for an attack. I think that they might try to pursue us as early as tonight! It could be minutes," Eponine exclaimed.

"It doesn't matter, we have outnumbered their ranks, and it is all thanks to you; without your help I wouldn't have nearly enough people," said Enjolras, fully appreciating everything his beautiful fiancé had done for him.

"It was no pr-"

Eponine lips were silenced abruptly when she heard marching. It was loud and in sync with someone shouting commands. Slowly, she and Enjolras turned around and ran to peer out of the barricade in the one of the looking holes Enjolras designed. The army hadn't quite reached the barricades yet, but the sound was drawing steadily nearer.

"They are coming," Enjolras breathed. He didn't sound unprepared or nervous, he sounded ready for a victory that was in his grasp. "Are you ready?"

"I've always been ready," Eponine said anxiously. Apparently everyone else had heard the soldiers approaching and had readied themselves. Thanks to the bourgeoisies from Provence, the rebels and supporters had all been supplied with bread, water, guns, and ammunition. As much as Enjolras didn't agree with the method, some of the Provence supporters had brought in at least a hundred more comrades by bribing them with food and clean clothes.

The first line of the troops came around the corner, followed by several more rows of men. Eponine breathed a sigh of relief, the rebels definitely had more people. The soldiers and National guards trembled in trepidation as they took their positions in front of the barricade.

"Oh, I hope I live to see Cosette again," Marius groaned.

"Shut it, Marius. No one cares about your lonely soul," Enjolras grumbled earning a laugh from Eponine. Laughter seemed like a miracle in this situation.

"Who goes there?" a guard bellowed from underneath his brown mustache.

Enjolras hesitated for a moment but was given a newfound courage when Eponine squeezed his arm. Her hand on his reminded him why he had to be strong and keep fighting.

"The French Revolution!" he shouted proudly. The soldiers made no haste in holding open fire upon the barricade, but unfortunately for them, the barricade shot back. Soldiers fell to the ground like flies, whereas the rebels seemed to be holding their ground.

The bulky gun felt heavy and foreign in Eponine's hands, yet she depended on it like a life source. Wincing, she fired the blasted thing and the bullet nearly hit a soldier in the torso. Oxygen filled her lungs as she took a deep breath to steady herself, and she fired again. This time, the bullet pierced the soldier in the shoulder and he dropped. Enjolras noticed.

"Good aim, mon amour," he said without looking up from his target. With his gun steady in his hands, he fired and hit the man in the thigh.

"I could say the same thing about you," Eponine said, her gaze not shifting from another soldier as she readied her stance. The army held no chance, and a National guard called a retreat.

"We'll be back!" he threatened the barricade as the soldiers retreated.

Eponine slumped against an old table in alleviation and gripped Enjolras hands.

"We survived that," she said in disbelief.

"It's not over yet," he said softly. Without blinking, he drew his lips onto hers and kissed her passionately. "I was worried that I wouldn't be able to do that anymore after all of this."

"You'll always have me," Eponine smiled slightly. "Let us go find out the Marielle's current situation."

The two shakily stood up and wobbled to the café where Marielle had been taken. Her arm had been wrapped up tightly and she appeared to be half asleep. Colin crouched next to her and stroked her hair, whispering sweet nothings into her grimy ear. He looked like a mess with his hair awry and bloodshot eyes; his heart was in a fragile state.

"How is she?" Enjolras asked.

"She will be alright, the bullet broke her arm but it is nothing that won't heal," Colin informed them with a happy sigh.

"Stay with her here. We need someone to make sure she is alright, and I don't know a better man to do it than you," Enjolras stated.

"What if you need me?" Colin asked.

"Then I shall come and fetch you, it isn't like you are all the way in England," Enjolras said. Colin nodded at him in appreciation. All of a sudden, loud shouts rang true and clear from outside, and Enjolras sprinted out of the café to see what had caused the commotion.

"What is it men?"

Grantaire shoved an old looking man forward, but he was surprisingly stable considering his age.

"I come here as a volunteer."

**A/N: I kid you not, I just ordered a shirt that has a picture of Enjolras and says "Doesn't care about your lonely soul" on it. It makes me happy!**


	44. Tomorrow Comes

**A/N: If any of you were wondering where I had gotten my Enjolras shirt from, I got it at redbubble. That website has literally every fandom shirt ever and I love it! There is a Pirates of the Caribbean reference, see if you can spot it!**

Enjolras eyed the man skeptically. Should he trust this 'volunteer?' The man, after all, was wearing the navy uniform that the enemies' sported. Yet, he looked sincere and too old to be much danger.

"The last volunteer, Javert, was only a trader and tried to deceive us. If we had listened to him, trouble would only befall," Enjolras said at last. The man's curiosity was piqued when Enjolras said 'Javert.'

"Javert is here?" he asked worriedly.

"_Was _here. He's back with the traitors now, he may even be dead," Eponine shrugged.

"Do you trust him, Enjolras?" Grantaire asked doubtfully. Enjolras pursed his lips and quickly shook his head.

"Tie the man up," Enjolras commanded and Grantaire shoved him along.

"Wait! I know this man, do not hurt him!" Marius' voice rang out. "He is Cosette's father, I have met him on several occasions. Do not injure and tie up my beloved's father! 'Tis a sin! His name is Jean Valjean!" Grantaire's eyes widened and he released the man so quickly causing it to look like the man had been on fire.

"My apologies, Monsieur," Grantaire rushed, but the older gentleman just raised his hand to pass of the incident.

"I do not need your apologies… Get down!" Jean Valjean shouted suddenly as he fired his gun at the rooftop. An enemy soldier had been perched there setting up an attack, but he was struck down with the bullet. "Over there!" All the men aimed their weapons at the rooftops to search for anymore oncoming attacks.

"Thank you, Monsieur!" Enjolras exclaimed. "What brings you here? Shouldn't you be with Cosette?"

"I made a promise to my daughter that I would come and watch over Marius. She is safe at home," Jean Valjean said. "And I shall stay here and help fight."

"Thank you for your effort, citizen," Enjolras nodded in appreciation and Jean Valjean returned the gesture. His cold eyes were unblinking and they looked heavy with the weight of a miserable lifetime. The looked into the world and always looked suspicious as though this man had grown accustomed to not trusting anything.

"Come, Eponine, it's getting late. The sun is ready to rest and so am I, what say you?" Enjolras asked Eponine gently. He chuckled when she let out a loud yawn; she was obviously exhausted after a long day of working. "Courfeyrac, you take the watch!" The two silently curled up in a little niche in the barricade and fell into a restless sleep.

**Link Break**

"Enjolras, wake up! They are approaching!" Courfeyrac shouted, jolting Enjolras out of his sleep and out of Eponine's arms. They managed to rouse everyone out of their sleep, it was near impossible to sleep through all the shouting. They stood in a line and readied their weapons to await the approaching army.

"Will we be ready on time?" Enjolras stressed.

"Don't worry, Colin made sure everyone readied their guns before they slept. Later today it looks like rain though, so that my lead to wet ammunition and that could be a problem," Combeferre stressed.

"We shall place our weapons in the café to shelter them at night," Enjolras said distractedly as he trained his ears for the marching army. The moment when the first line of navy uniformed soldiers appeared, Enjolras' adrenaline kicked in. There seemed to be more men this time, but Enjolras still had them outnumbered. He heard commands being shouted from the other but it didn't register for he was too busy giving his own commands.

"Ready, aim, fire!" he shouted, and everyone rained fire. "Light the cannon!" One of the rich men had purchased a cannon and it had been placed next to the barricade, aimed directly at the heart of the line. Everyone on the barricade plugged their ears as the cannon launched itself onto the enemies, knocking out everyone in its path. Thousands of bullets rained onto the other side.

"They're going down!" Enjolras cheered, and everyone let out a loud whoop. Eponine nearly cried in relief when she saw how little soldiers were still standing.

"We're going to win!" she laughed as she aimed her gun at a soldier and he went down. Just then, a bullet sailed past her head and hit someone behind her. A man whom Eponine did not recognize went down, but it was sad all the same. "That was so close."

"Come, Eponine! You will live to see the wedding!" Enjolras said slightly hysterical. Eponine rolled her eyes at him.

"I will get married before I die," she said determinedly. Enjolras suddenly had an idea.

"Why don't we get married now then? We could get Jean Valjean to do it for us, I'm sure he's qualified," Enjolras shouted.

"Are you serious? Right now?" Eponine screamed, but Enjolras nodded seriously. Eponine's eyes suddenly alit with passion and giddiness.

"Let's get married then. Monsieur Valjean!" Eponine called causing the old man to hurry over, dodging bullets on the way.

"Oui?" he asked with curiosity unsure of what Eponine wanted.

"Will you marry Enjolras and I right here and now?" Eponine pleaded. Valjean seemed taken aback as he surveyed the two hopeful youths before him, theirs eyes gleaming with hope.

"I'm a little busy at the moment!" he shouted before ducking out of the path of a bullet and promptly shooting the man who had fired it. "Also, don't you want to wait?" he asked impatiently.

"There might not be a later time. Things are looking good right now, but everything can change in one single second," Eponine said urgently. "Hurry, monsieur, we don't have much time." Valjean looked between the two hesitantly, but gave his consent.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today!" he began somewhat sarcastically. "I don't really know what else is said at weddings."

"Just ask us if we shall take each other as husband and wife!" Enjolras said briefly. Jean Valjean wracked his brains to think of the appropriate question to ask.

"Do you, Enjolras, take Eponine to be your lawfully wedded wife?" he asked Enjolras. Valjean figured he was supposed to say more words, but it felt meaningless to him. Enjolras and Eponine were clearly in love and they would automatically care for each other.

"I do," Enjolras said lovingly, not caring that he wasn't wearing a nice suit and Eponine wasn't wearing a dress or that there were guns and shouting in the background. All he cared about was that his Eponine was before him and she would finally be his wife.

"Do you, Eponine, take Enjolras to be your lawfully wedded husband?" Valjean asked hurriedly. Eponine looked in awe at her future husband. It seemed like just yesterday she had been showing him around on the streets; they had come so far since then. Enjolras looked back at her with such love that it brought tears to Eponine's eyes. She couldn't believe that this man was all hers.

"I do," she cried happily.

"You may ki-" Jean Valjean was cut off by another bullet whizzing just above their heads. He looked startled, but shook it off.

"You may now kiss-" he began but was stopped by an enemy soldier leaping over the barricade and trying to attack Eponine. He managed to slice her arm with his knife, but Enjolras went into his overprotective mode and ruthlessly shot the soldier in the heart.

"You may-" Valjean was interrupted again when Grantaire approached them to ask if he should load the cannon again.

"In a minute," Enjolras replied distractedly.

"JUST KISS!" Valjean declared with no interruptions this time. Enjolras and Eponine immediately latched onto each other and kissed for the first time as a married couple. However, the kiss didn't last very long; they were at war, after all.

"Ready the cannon again!" Enjolras ordered, and Grantaire and Bahorel picked up the heavy cannon ball. The impromptu wedding ending as soon as it started, but Eponine and Enjolras mentally returned to the battlefield with more vigor than before.

"Wait!" a National Guardsman shouted halting the fire for a moment. Enjolras rolled his eyes impatiently.

"What are they doing?" he whispered to Eponine, but she didn't respond. Her eyes had widened into the size of a fist and her mouth broke out into a radiant smile. It was one of the most free and beautiful smile that Enjolras had ever seen in his entire life. "What is it?" Eponine said not a word, but pointed a shaky finger at the other side of the barricade. Enjolras' eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw what she was pointing at.

The National guard loathingly held a large white flag in his trembling hands.

"You at the barricades listen to this! We surrender!" he capitulated. The soldiers retreated and the dead laid inert on the ground. Celebration was the only noise to be heard on the barricades. Enjolras looked around to count the number of dead, but he didn't see anyone he recognized. As painful as it was to see people lying around dead, he was relieved that his brothers and Eponine had all survived.

"I would say that was a highly successful revolution," Eponine smirked as Les Amis crowded around them in contentment.

"I would agree with you. It was a funeral _and _a wedding," Enjolras said with joy. It finally sunk in that he was a married man now, and the realization filled his body with bliss. He grabbed Eponine and kissed her tenderly on the mouth; their second kiss as a married couple.

"Whoa, wait a minute my friend. Wedding?" Grantaire asked somewhat soberly. Enjolras groaned in frustration and pulled away from his wife.

"It seems we our kisses are always intruded on," he fumed. "Yes, there was a wedding; mine. Eponine and I were married only moment ago, right before I gave the order to stock the cannon."

"Wh-what? When? H-how?" Bahorel spluttered.

"If we died an never were wed, my life would be incomplete. I wanted to have our marriage in case death were to visit us," Eponine explained leaning into Enjolras' side.

"It wasn't the world's fanciest wedding, but it was the best one by far," Enjolras added. "Eponine, I promise that later we will have a proper wedding with a wedding dress, cake, and rings. Also, I'm not exactly sure if our recent wedding made us legally married…"

"We could have a double wedding!" Grantaire suggested, but was shot down immediately by Enjolras, Eponine, and surprisingly Prouvaire. Everyone gave him a strange look.

"What? It's Eponine and Enjolras' special day, the focus should be on them," he muttered causing everyone to laugh.

"Forgetting about weddings for a moment, WE JUST WON THE BATTLE!" Combeferre shouted wildly reminding everyone of their victory.

"The new world is coming!" Enjolras agreed.

"A whole new world, just for you and me," Eponine sighed blithely.

Indeed, the new world had just been won. Enjolras would never have been able to do it without Eponine; their meeting had mustered thousands of more supporters, weapons, and training for the barricade boys and girls. Enjolras had fought with a power that he hadn't possessed before; the power of love. And that alone made a world of difference.

**A/N: Ahhh there is only the epilogue left! I can't believe this story is ending! The epilogue might not be up for a while because of exams… Yay for the happy ending! This time everybody lives! **


	45. Epilogue

**A/N: So this is the epilogue, sad stuff. Everyone just remember to stay strong with all this Enjonine hate. I can't believe how some people are stereotyping us, and most of it isn't true. Oh well, here is a virtual hug to my fellow shipmates. Anyways, I didn't think that I would be able to update this so soon, but I decided I should end it _before _I started to really study for exams.**

A little girl with dark, curly hair and stormy eyes impatiently tugged on her mother's skirt. Her mother looked down at the girl fondly and patted her head gently. The little girl, Marie, pouted by sticking out her lip and crossing her cubby, toddler arms.

"One minute, ma fille. We have to wait for your brother and your father," Eponine assured. Marie sulked, and Eponine had to stifle her laughter at the sight of her adorable daughter. Marie did not appreciated being laughed at just like her father, Enjolras.

"Oh all right, let me go find them," Eponine said going to find her husband and son. She called out their names and heard Enjolras reply from the library. Of course he was in the library; it was his favorite room in the house after all. Upon entering the room, Eponine saw Enjolras sitting with their five year old son, Julian, on his lap. He was reading to him out of a yellowing book with a black leather binding. Julian looked exactly like Enjolras; in fact the only thing he had inherited from Eponine was her dimples. Both of their children had Enjolras' exact fierce, blue eyes and Eponine often joked about being the odd one out.

"Marie is growing restless, we should leave for Colin and Marielle's soon. She wants to see little Madelaine and Elliot, and I myself cannot wait to tell everyone about the new baby," Eponine smiled and tapped her small tummy that held a new life inside. Enjolras' face broke out into a grin when Eponine mentioned her pregnancy; he was thrilled about the baby and couldn't wait to hold him or her in his arms for the first time.

"Of course, my love. Up we go, Julian," Enjolras said scooping up his son. Eponine beamed at the two and fell into step behind them.

"Come, Marie," Eponine said reached for the girl's hand. Marie beamed up at her mother.

"Are you looking forward to telling them about the baby?" she asked innocently.

"I am very much looking forward to it. Are you excited that you get to see Madelaine and Elliot?" Eponine replied. Giddily, Marie jumped up and down exclaimed 'yes!'

"I think it would be darling if Marie ended up marrying Elliot and Madelaine ended up with Julian," Eponine sighed. She had acquired a soft spot for love and romance over the years.

"Nobody is going to marry my little girl, ever," Enjolras said possessively but Eponine just laughed at his expense. Enjolras stiffened.

"Of course she's going to get married off one day," Eponine stated obviously. Marie looked confused.

"Who is getting married?" she asked.

"Nobody yet," Enjolras grumbled, but his bitterness faded fast.

"It is rather convenient that Colin and Marielle are our neighbors, wouldn't you agree? If they lived any further away it would be quite difficult to come to and fro from their home," Eponine said gratefully as they walked up the cobblestone path. Months after the barricades, Eponine, Enjolras, Colin, and Marielle had all packed their bags and moved to Provence. Enjolras had never felt more serene, but sometimes he missed the hustle and bustle of Paris. He knew that his wife also missed the streets like a fish missed the water, but she had adjusted magnificently to her new surroundings. They family was well off, Enjolras still had his inheritance, and he had accumulated even more money after the revolution through his government job that he had been assigned. For a year or two he worked so hard to do his part, but when Julian was born he retired simply because he wanted to be around his family more.

"Ah, the Enjolras'! You are always welcome here!" Marielle exclaimed in delight as she kissed Eponine and Enjolras' cheeks in greeting. The children ran inside to go find their friends, and the adults drifted into the living room to have a chat.

"So, how are you two? We haven't seen each other all week, though work has been busy for Colin and I have been preoccupied with the children," Marielle said. Even in the summertime, Marielle always wore long sleeved dresses to conceal her battle scar that she received from the bullet wound. It would raise some questions if anyone were ever to see it.

Eponine and Enjolras looked knowingly at each other and Eponine's lips tugged upwards as she prepared herself to tell them the news.

"Enjolras and I are expecting again!" she exclaimed erratically. Colin and Marielle enveloped the grinning couple in 'congratulations.'

"I suspected something, you two were very obvious upon your arrival," Marielle confessed.

"I did not notice a thing," Colin said in confusion.

"That is because men are oblivious," Eponine teased, earning a laugh from Marielle.

"Amen to that!" she shouted.

At that moment, the four children suddenly filed into the room, giggling and squealing as they came.

"Did you tell them yet?" Marie asked expectantly as she wiggled her eyebrows. Eponine nodded, and Colin and Marielle chuckled at Marie's expressions.

"Though I never did meet Enjolras as a child, I have a feeling he would be _exactly _like Marie," Colin pondered, but Eponine and Enjolras disagreed.

"I can see how you might think that, but Marie reminds me of myself," Eponine said.

"Julian is precisely how I was a child, though. His general curiosity in the world and his thirst for knowledge will take him far," Enjolras declared proudly.

"How did I land myself such a modest husband?" Eponine giggled, and Enjolras playfully bowed.

"After all these years, you two haven't changed at all. Why, I remember your first and second wedding like it was just yesterday," Colin reminisced. His words seemed to intrigue Marie and Julian.

"Two weddings?" Marie asked in wonderment, her tiny brain trying to perceive if that was even possible. She knew that people only got married once to the same person, so how did her parents get married twice?

"That is unlikely," Julian said disbelieving.

"You haven't told your children the story of your weddings?" Marielle asked in shock. "They know about the barricades, why didn't you mention your first wedding?"

"Well, I suppose we thought it was a bad example of sorts…" Enjolras explained.

"Tell us, Papa!" Marie pleaded. Enjolras took one look at his daughter and completely crumbled; she had him wrapped around her little finger. She was the poster child for daddy's little princess.

"I don't see why we shouldn't! Oh let's see, it started in the middle of the battle, love arose from the pile of broken furniture…" Enjolras delved into the tale of his first wedding, the wedding that he and Eponine considered to be their _real _wedding, adding some exaggerations and toning down the violence a bit. The children concentrated their eyes on their father as he spoke, completely engrossed in his tale as he talked about the barricades, Eponine, and Jean Valjean.

"And we kept getting interrupted, but eventually Jean Valjean shouted 'JUST KISS!' and in the moment our lips met, we officially become united forever by the bonds of marriage and love," he said finishing the best story to yet be told.

"That sounds like the perfect wedding," Julian said seriously and everyone laughed.

"No, it was far from perfect, yet it was perfect for your mother and I. It was… for lack of better phrasing, it was perfectly imperfect. We realized that we would have to have another wedding to make everything official, but that first wedding has always been my favorite. It was spontaneous and passionate, just like your mother," Enjolras said earnestly as he grabbed his wife's hand.

"We were thrown into a great surprise when we had heard that Enjolras and Eponine had just been wed. There we were, celebrating the end of the barricades, when our these two had casually mentioned that they tied the knot!" Colin chuckled at the fond memory.

"Well, now you know the real story of our wedding," Eponine sniffled. Enjolras turned to face his wife and was mildly alarmed when he saw tears pouring down her face.

"What's wrong, my love?" he asked urgently as he attempted to wipe away the tears.

"I suppose it is mostly the hormones, but the way you told our story brought me to tears. I-It was beautiful!" she cried, though her tears were happy.

"Don't cry, Mama," Marie said worriedly.

"Oh, Marie. You shouldn't worry about your mother right now; everything is wonderful and all will be well. Go off and have your fun with Madelaine, Elliot, and Julian," Enjolras ushered. The children ran off with a newfound energy. Eponine had quickly calmed down.

"I'm turning soft," she whined.

"Being a mother can do that to a person, even someone as tough as you," Enjolras said.

"Do you four, or five now I suppose, want to stay here for dinner?" Colin offered. Eponine and Enjolras joyfully accepted the invitation, glad for their best friends.

As they ate dinner, Eponine couldn't help but notice how much her life had changed just because she met Enjolras. Her little life became big and important; now a wife and a mother. Without Enjolras, she would have died alone. And without Eponine, Enjolras and countless others would have _died. _Eponine knew she made the right decision all those years ago back in Paris when she let Enjolras stay with her for a week, and later that night in bed when she and Enjolras were discussing baby names, Eponine thought life couldn't get any better.

"I know it's going to be a girl, I have a feeling," Eponine admitted.

"I agree with you. I can just feel it," Enjolras said as he softly stroked Eponine's barely there baby bump. "I think we should name our baby François."

"No, I am not naming Baby after France," Eponine deadpanned.

"Patria?"

"Nope."

"Francine?"

"Keep trying."

"Francette?"

"I swear if you suggest one more-"

"What about Lucienne? It means 'light,'" Enjolras suggested at last, trying to rapidly steer the topic away from French names.

"Lucienne, huh. I rather like that name… Lucienne Enjolras; it flows! I think you may have found the perfect name!" Eponine exclaimed.

"Don't say perfect because you and I will _never _be perfect. I prefer: perfectly imperfect ," Enjolras chuckled to himself.

"For a perfectly imperfect family and their perfectly imperfect baby," Eponine yawned, exhaustion finally taking over.

And so maybe they were perfectly imperfect, but they were happy and free and loving, and at the end of the day, nothing was better than that.

**A/N: WHOA, FLUFF ALERT! Excuse me while I go cry about how this is over…**

**AAAND I'm back from my cry break. I'm estimating that in about 3 weeks I will post my new Enjonine modern au story called The Swan Song. Or maybe I'll call it Perfectly Imperfect… Who knows? See you all again soon if you ever read my next story!**


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